


Chibi-chan's secret

by liliies



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: First Time, Fluff and Angst, Jealous Kageyama Tobio, Jealous Oikawa Tooru, M/M, Mutual Pining, NSFW, Pining, Secret Relationship, Slash, Slow Build, Smut like a lot, Teen Crush, Teens gone wild, Yaoi, long fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-02-23 06:44:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 57,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23007382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liliies/pseuds/liliies
Summary: Hinata Shōyō has lost the last bus' ride and is stuck at the train station. There he meets Oikawa Tooru, who drags Hinata with him. They tease each other and things get hotter and hotter, but Hinata's not the only one who keeps secrets from the team.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji & Hinata Shouyou, Bokuto Koutarou & Hinata Shouyou, Hinata Shouyou & Kozume Kenma, Hinata Shouyou & Yamaguchi Tadashi, Hinata Shouyou/Kuroo Tetsurou, Hinata Shouyou/Oikawa Tooru, Iwaizumi Hajime & Oikawa Tooru, Iwaizumi Hajime/Sugawara Koushi, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 297
Kudos: 751





	1. Lost Little Bird

**Author's Note:**

> So, hello!  
> I hope you'll enjoy this fanfiction. English is not my mother-language, so I hope it's not that bad, but, please, feel free to correct me!  
> This fic will have multiple chapters; I don't know how many exactly, but it won't be a short one.  
> The main pairings are in the tags, so if you don't like them, I fear it's not the fic for you.
> 
> Please, have mercy on me as I'm new to writing and story-telling.

Chibi-chan’s secret

A lost little bird

— Chapter #1 —

Hinata Shōyō

_Three minutes_ , thought Hinata looking nervously at the wristwatch. The night lights were darting in front of his eyes, as the train kept going forward. His left hand was still there, clung on the iron bar with a tight grip, while his right foot kept tapping on the ground.

_Two minutes_ , thought the red-haired boy reaching the limits of his patience. His foot stopped tapping, as the train started to slow down. He was almost there; his heart was pounding against his breastbone and his eyes were set on the window. The entire braking seemed taking forever.

_One minute_ , thought the boy, hopping off the train the instant the door opened and bolting towards the exit. He ran as fast as he could, pushing himself over his limits; his throat was sore, and his heart kept beating faster and faster. His footsteps were so quiet as to frighten the people who suddenly saw him popping out of nowhere; to him, however, they were merely undefined patches of colors.

He turned left, then straight and he finally saw it; the exit was right in front of him.

In one last and desperate sprint, he bolted out the door and ran down the stairs. A gust of cold air hit him hard and the pouring rain started to soak him. The bus stop was right there across the street. Cars kept darting in front of him, despite the crosswalk. The final blow struck him roughly; the bus whooshed past without stopping.

A few moments later, at last a car stopped and let him cross the street. He put the hood of his sweatshirt on and marched towards the bus’ timetable. His lips curled downwards and the veins on the temporal lobe began to throb. As he feared, he missed the last bus ride of the day. He pulled his phone out of his sweatshirt’s pocket, but it wouldn’t switch on. The battery had run out. He put the phone back in the pocket.

_Kami-sama 1, I know I wasn’t always as diligent as I should have been and thus, I deserve some kind of punishment, but you’re overdoing it_, thought Hinata worn-out, by this time soaking wet. For his own sake, he could not stay under the pouring rain any longer, so he headed back in the train station, where he found shelter. He sat on a bench, bringing his legs to his lap and rested his head on the knees. His eyes were so heavy that he could have fallen asleep any moment and a yawn slipped out. _I’m so screwed_ , that’s all it was on his mind.

He could not say how much time was passed, but the train station had emptied out. Every now and then some people passed by, but they weren’t many. The big red clock indicated that it was ten o’clock. He assessed his options, but he found them completely unreasonable; the first option was to stay put in that station and wait until the first bus ride, as for the second one, it seemed that it entailed walking up through the mountain for at least one hour and a half without an umbrella and lights to enlighten the path. _That_ was surely madness. He kept torturing his hands out of anxiety. A shiver ran through his back.

« Chibi-chan ? » a soft voice roused him from his thoughts.

Hinata slowly looked up. In front of him stood a tall, handsome guy. He had brown untamable hair and hazelnut eyes. A smirk arose on his lips. Hinata could not believe his eyes.

« Daiō-sama2! What are you doing here ? » asked Hinata promptly, rising on his feet.

« I was out with some friends. » replied the boy politely. « What are _you_ doing here this late? » asked Oikawa with a stress on that “you”, staring at him. He was intimidating as always.

« The train had some delay and I missed the last bus. » explained the red-haired one shivering from the cold. He was still soaking wet and the draughts kept torturing him. « I either stay put here and wait for the morning, or else I have to hike in the dark for ages. » grumbled Hinata more to himself than to the chocolate haired boy. His teeth had begun to chatter.

« As if I could leave you here shivering! » burst Oikawa dismayed.

« What ? »

« What kind of monster do you think I am ? » asked Oikawa extremely aghast. His eyes were wide open and his mouth deformed in pure horror.

« You can’t stand me, you made sure I knew that much. » said Hinata calmly.

« That’s not true, chibi-chan. » replied the handsome guy with a smirk.

Hinata stared at him with a perplexed gaze.

« Well, I find you extremely annoying with that bouncing everywhere of yours. » admitted the chocolate haired one with a “You-Asked-For-It” kind of face.

« SEE! » burst out Hinata.

« There’s a thin line between finding someone annoying and wanting him dead, you know ? » Oikawa stood there with one hand on his hip and one eyebrow arched. « Do you know what’s also wearing thin ? »

Hinata looked at him confused, then he seemed to focus on that question.

« My patience, chibi-chan. » answered Oikawa for him with a murderous stare. He was losing it.

Hinata raised his head slowly and looked at him in the eyes.

« I’m sorry Oikawa-san, but I can’t accept. » said Hinata politely. He was very calm and composed. He bowed in gratitude, then sat on the bench in silence with his eyes focused on the ground.

He heard Oikawa sighing at least twice. He was sure that the boy was as stubborn as he was, but he repeated himself that he was doing the right thing. Oikawa was his enemy; he surely couldn’t sleep at his place. He wouldn’t do it. There was no way he would accept; not after being defeated by him and the rest of his teammates in the Inter-High. He was so lost in his thoughts, that he didn’t hear Oikawa’s steps.

« I guess you leave me no other choice. »

When Hinata heard the boy it was already too late. He couldn’t feel the bench under his legs anymore. Oikawa had lifted him from the bench with his strong arms and loaded him on his right shoulder. Then, he proceeded towards the exit and carried on. Hinata was so shocked, he couldn’t believe it was really happening.

« Let go of me, Daiō-sama. » commanded Hinata with resolution.

« Sure, chibi-chan. » laughed Oikawa. « When we’ll get at home. »

Hinata started to move in a desperate attempt to escape Oikawa’s claws, but it seemed nothing was working. Oikawa was holding him tightly and when Hinata rebelled, he roughly planted his nails in the redhead’s waist. Hinata couldn’t stifle a moan.

« You’re hurting me, you know ? » spat Hinata extremely vexed.

« That was the point. »

« This is outrageous. This is kidnapping! » Hinata was freaking out.

« Yes, how bad of me to bring you to safety and looking out for you. » said Oikawa sarcastically. « How did I even dare! »

Oikawa kept walking despite Hinata’s complaints. It was like he couldn’t even hear him. Eventually Hinata calmed down. Oikawa’s steps were incredibly quiet, and he had to be pretty strong to keep going despite Hinata’s weight on his shoulder. Hinata felt like some rocks had piled up one on top of each other from his stomach to all the way ‘til his throat.

« Oikawa-san, could you please let go of me ? I’m dizzy. » asked Hinata politely.

« Don’t make me regret this. » whispered Oikawa stopping right before a crossroad.

« Even if I’d like to flee, I don’t know where we are anymore. » muttered Hinata looking around for clues.

« Alright. » Oikawa let his hand slide down, brushing his bottom. His fingers clung on the red-haired boy's hip and helped him hop off.

Hinata felt his feet finally touch the ground. He tried to stand, but everything started to spin around him. His skin went pale and he could feel cold sweat on his forehead. His breath was labored and before he knew it, he was clinging on Oikawa’s fancy jackets, with his head pressed against the pretty boy’s chest. Oikawa hugged him.

« Chibi-chan~, you don’t look so good. » complained Oikawa looking down at him from his great height with a bubbly gaze. He was enjoying every moment of it.

« And whose fault is that ? » grumbled Hinata with a muffled voice, still clinging to the elder boy. Oikawa’s chocolate hair brushed Hinata’s neck as the pretty boy lowered his head. _He smells good_ , thought Hinata blushing when realization hit him. Oikawa gently passed his fingers through the fire hair as he smirked.

« Mmmh, someone’s feeling better! » said Oikawa with a soft voice, teasing him.

Hinata looked daggers at him; his eyes were on fire. He loosened the grip on Oikawa’s jacket and broke free from the hug. He couldn’t allow himself to lower his guard for even a second with that demon.

« And here I thought you started to like me! Chibi-chan so mean~! » whined Oikawa with a hurt look.

« Sorry, demons are not really my type. » replied Hinata with a smirk on his lip. Oikawa made a “I’m-gonna-kill-this-brat” kind of face, but that made Hinata laugh even more.

« I see you’re recovering pretty fast. You weren’t laughing so much the last time we met. » spitted Oikawa irked.

The laugh on Hinata’s lip died instantly. The boy froze and clench his fists as rage took control over every inch of his body. The defeat still burnt. They defeated Datekō, they were so close to defeat Aoba Johsai, but their freak quick was kill blocked. The very thing that let Hinata fight wasn’t working anymore.

« _So fucking close_. » whispered Hinata more to himself. He started to move without even realizing it. He couldn’t hear Oikawa speaking, nor even the rain that kept soaking him, as he had reached another dimension. He couldn’t stop replaying that very moment on his mind; the perfect toss, the perfect spike, Oikawa’s eyes, the sound of the volleyball being block and the ball hitting the ground right behind him. He had turned to a ghost, a mere shadow of himself. Hinata was taken back to reality with a smack on the nape of his neck. _I don’t know how, but so help me Kami-sama I’m going to beat the shit out of this brat_ , thought Hinata with a death stare.

« I tried to warn you about the car, but you didn’t listen. » said Oikawa as he shrugged as if it were a normal thing to almost knock someone out. « And you’re even heading the wrong way. »

Hinata sighed and crossed his arms to his chest, cursing the dandy boy in his head.

« So ? Move. » said Hinata annoyed. He regretted not hiking home. Oikawa bit his tongue and took the left to the crossroad. Hinata limited himself to follow the pretty demon in religious silence. The sound of the ball getting blocked kept torturing him as he walked behind Oikawa. _Shame_ , shouted a voice in his head as he recalled all the balls he couldn’t receive. It stung hard.

Oikawa Tōru

_Maybe I went too far with that last provocation_ , thought Oikawa walking on the sidewalk, checking every now and then that Hinata was still following. _Well, what’s done is done_ , told himself in one attempt to cheer himself up, but he couldn’t help to feel guilty as the silence between them grew bigger and bigger.

« So, if dating demons it’s not your thing, what is ? » asked Oikawa now walking beside him.

« Why are you asking ? » asked Hinata suspicious.

« I’m just curious. » answered Oikawa trying to act nicely. « I don’t know you enough to try and guess. »

« It depends. » replied Hinata avoiding looking his way.

Despite the late hour, Oikawa could see Hinata blushing in the moonlight. That fuelled his curiosity tremendously. He observed the younger; he inadvertently started to walk lightly faster and kept looking straight. _He’s either extremely shy and reserved or he’s ashamed of something_ , thought Oikawa turning on the right. Hinata followed.

« I suppose it would depend on the sex. » Hinata finally broke the silence. « I think I’m bi. » clarified as he looked away.

The news hit him pleasantly. He wasn’t sure why he was so pleased to hear it, but he felt almost relieved, like a heavy weight was lifted from his chest.

« You’re not sure ? » asked Oikawa intrigued.

« Well, I haven’t dated much. I only had one girlfriend, but I recently started to notice boys too. » explained Hinata even redder. « It’s not proof, but it seems plausible. »

« You’re so cute blushing like that, chibi-chan ~! » exclaimed Oikawa teasing him. « Are you trying to make me fall for you ? »

Hinata stopped and looked at him completely shocked.

« I’m not! » cried out Hinata completely embarrassed. « You’re scary! »

« So if I weren’t scary, you would like me, is that what you’re saying ? » asked Oikawa in delight. Teasing Hinata was fun.

« That is so not the point! » said Hinata as he started to walk again.

« Then why are you so upset ? » asked Oikawa behind him.

« I’m not upset. » declared Hinata stopping at a crosswalk. « You’re annoying and my name is Shōyō. »

Oikawa stopped right beside him and burst into laugh. He couldn’t help but find Hinata adorable. The boy was looking at him with a furrowed brow. _I know, I know chibi-chan, I’m a piece of work_ , thought Oikawa amused.

« But you _are_ chibi, so chibi-chan it is. » kept teasing Oikawa, he grabbed Hinata’s sleeve as he crossed the road dragging the boy with him.

« It is not! » protested Hinata, who couldn’t do but to follow him.

« Then is Shou-chan and that’s the end of it. » said Oikawa walking.

« That’s merely the start of it! » replied Hinata disgusted.

« Well, it’s a matter for another time. We’re home. » announced Oikawa as he opened the small gate.

Oikawa led the way through the walkway. The grass of the garden had just been cut and smelled refreshing. He inserted the key in the lock and open the door. They made it. He tried to sneak in and smuggle Hinata inside, but he found his mother right before him.

« Are you trying to sneak in ? » said the woman with her arms crossed to her chest, blocking them in the genkan. She was beautiful, her skin was pale and looked smooth. She had hazel eyes and chocolate hair just like his son and stood composed, despite the anger.

« I wasn’t sneaking! I thought that my beautiful mom could be sleeping and I didn’t want to wake you. » replied Oikawa putting his angel face in action.

« And how could I sleep knowing that my son is out late at night doing god knows what ? » asked the woman sarcastically. She still hadn’t notice Hinata’s presence.

« I told you I was with Iwa-chan! » protested Oikawa, like it should have been obvious.

« Thank god he’s still your friend, the boy is a saint! » exclaimed the woman.

Oikawa open his mouth to protest, but he had to shut it as he had more things to explain and it wouldn’t have been wise to get on his mother’s bad side right in that moment. The sound of teeth chattering caught his mother’s attention. She had finally noticed Hinata.

« Good evening Oikawa-san, my name is Hinata Shōyō. I’m sorry for intruding. » said Hinata promptly, bowing ninety degrees, showing more sense than his son.

« He’s my friend. I met him at Sendai’s station. The train had some delay and he missed the last bus ride. » explained Oikawa as he entered the house. « He would have had to wait ‘til morning or hike home, so when he refused, I had to insist. I couldn’t leave him freezing to death, could I ? » said rhetorically.

« You poor thing, out there alone and soaking wet! » exclaimed the woman dragging him inside the house. « How old are you ? » asked politely.

« Sixteen years old, made yesterday. » replied Hinata as if he was speaking with a general. The woman congratulated with him and put the kettle on the stove.

« Sixteen ? And what were you doing out that late ? » investigated the woman with suspicion.

Oikawa felt bad for him; first his teasing, now his mother with her own investigation. That wasn’t definitely his best night.

« I was in Kanazawa helping my grandma. My mom wanted to go herself, but her employer didn’t give her leave and she couldn’t go either because of my little sister. So I volunteered. » said Hinata anxious. « My third train had some delay, so here I am. »

Oikawa and his mother had followed the story with interest and his mother was getting shocked as the story progressed.

« Oh you poor thing! Six trains in a day, and the rain! Poor angel. » kept repeating his mother with a hand on her heart. « You were so brave. Did you warn your mother ? »

« I wanted to, but my phone died. » explained Hinata, foreseeing another motherly concern outburst.

« Why didn’t you let him call her mom ? »

_Great, now it’s my fault_ , thought Oikawa annoyed.

« I was busy trying to convince him to come home with me. He’s stubborn as a mule. » replied Oikawa.

« The poor woman must be having a heart attack right now! »

Now she was scolding the two of them. She demanded the phone number and she made the call.

« Hinata-san speaking. » Hinata could hear the distress of his mother even from where he was standing.

« Good evening Hinata-san, this is Oikawa Hanae, I wanted to warn you that Shōyō-kun is at my house with my son, Tōru. » The woman then proceeded to explain everything. « I’ll make him bath, eat miso soup and go straight to bed. I’ll accompany him home tomorrow. »

She sent Hinata for a bath and him to search some clean clothes for his friend. Oikawa was looking in the wardrobe, but seemed to remember only in that moment the difference in height and measure between Hinata and him.

_Too big, too old, why do I even have this, too old-fashioned_ , thought Oikawa as he searched. At last he had to pick his old Aoba Johsai turquoise t-shirt, some old boxers and an old pair of tracksuit pants from junior high. His thoughts were interrupted by the knocking on the door.

« Come on in. » said Oikawa as he placed the clothes on the bed.

Hinata came in with a towel around his hips and his hair dripping. He closed the door behind him and took a look at Oikawa’s room; it was very clean and tidy. Oikawa, instead, was staring at him. He barely recognized him; with his clothes on Hinata looked so much different. Despite being short, he was slender, and the hard trainings had made him toned.

« You can wear those. » pointed Oikawa.

Hinata walked to the bed and took a look at the clothes.

« Seriously ? Do you want me dead or something ? » asked Hinata pissed.

« Not in this particular moment, chibi-chan. » said Oikawa laughing.

« I’m not wearing _this_. » said Hinata disgusted.

« It’s the only thing that would fit you. » exclaimed Oikawa. « It’s not my fault if you’re tiny. »

« You know what ? I’m so tired that I don’t have the strengths to argue with you anymore. » said Hinata giving him his back. « I’ll wear it. I’ll wear it but I won’t be happy about it. »

Oikawa smirked amused, before opening his mouth to shout, but remaining in silence as Hinata took off the towel and started drying himself. His back’s muscles were pronounced, as were his arms’. His eyes had reached the back’s end. His bottom was so — _I shouldn’t be looking, why am I looking_ ? thought Oikawa in terror. He tried to look away, but he found himself staring again at Hinata, as he put his boxer, covering his solid smooth ass. He put on the trousers and hesitated on the t-shirt. He turned and looked at him.

« Do I really have to wear this ? » asked Hinata defeated.

He even had abs. Not that they were as pronounced as the ones in the back or the arms, but they had started to show. Drops of water kept falling to his neck, to his chest and to his belly. Oikawa shifted his eyes on Hinata’s face, trying hard not to look elsewhere. _I can do it, I have to otherwise I’ll .. I’ll want to fuck him .. hard … roughly … all night_ , thought Oikawa.

« Yes, you do. » replied Oikawa as nothing was happening. « I’m going to shower, or I will never hear the end of it. You better put that shirt on and go to the kitchen, if you don’t want to be scolded. »

He then left the room and got in the tub. He let his head rest on the border and closed his eyes. Hinata’s naked body popped out in his mind. He wondered if his skin was as smooth as it looked like, how would it smell, how tight would Hinata’s hole would be, how good would feel to sink in Hinata. _That’s it, I’m not going there_ , thought Oikawa starting to lather himself roughly, almost like to wash away his sins. He rinsed the soap and started to dry himself vigorously with the towel. He got dressed and joined the guest in the kitchen.

Hinata face regained color and he looked cheerful as he let the soup warm him. His mother was busy preparing a bowl for him.

« Chibi-chan, look! » said Oikawa, while taking a picture of an annoyed Hinata.

« Delete it. » asked Hinata grumpier than ever before.

« Never! »

« I’ll never speak to you ever again. » grumbled Hinata finishing his miso soup.

Oikawa sat beside him and started eating his soup.

« Tōru, darling, stop messing with Shōyō-kun, he had enough trouble for today. » said Oikawa-san with a soft voice.

« You don’t understand, mom. What’s happening is something rare. » laughed Oikawa.

« And why is that ? » asked his mother.

« Because I go to Karasuno High School and he’s making me wear the shirt of the team that defeated me two weeks ago in the Inter-High. » explained Hinata looking at the empty bowl.

« Tōru! How can you do this to him ? Poor angel. » said his mother. She then took the bowl and started to wash it, giving them her back.

« Yeah, so mean, Oikawa- _senpai_. » whined Hinata, sticking out his tongue as Oikawa-san could not see him. « How can you do this to me ? »

Oikawa was shocked. He was being mocked in his own home. That was outrageous!

« Exactly! You should set the example! » exclaimed his mother. Hinata nodded with a sad face and his mother gently patted his head. « I’m sorry for my son’s behavior. »

« Look mom, how late it is! Little Shou-chan must go to bed. » said Oikawa dragging Hinata away.

Hinata stopped and bowed in gratitude to Oikawa-san. He could hear his mother say “such polite boy”. Oikawa pushed Hinata in his bedroom and closed the door behind him.

« So, how can I punish you ? » said Oikawa walking towards him smirking.

« Punish me ? » asked Hinata annoyed. « You made me wear this and took a picture only to destroy my life in the most suitable moment. I say we’re even. »

« Well, I can’t deny that you could get in trouble for that picture … » whispered Oikawa, as he pushed Hinata down on the futon and pinned his arms down while he stood between his legs. « You still have to thank me to rescue you, chibi-chan. »

« You forced me! » complained Hinata in a whisper.

« Come on, a kiss and I’ll consider stop messing with you for tonight. » said Oikawa pointing his own cheek with his index.

Hinata blushed hard and looked away. Oikawa was so close he could see all the shades of red on Hinata’s cheeks.

« What ? You don’t have the guts ? » asked Oikawa teasing him.

« That’s not the point! » whispered Hinata exhausted and extremely embarrassed.

« I knew you wouldn’t do it! » whispered Oikawa in the younger’s ear, then he smirked at him.

Hinata looked him in the eyes and bit his lower lip. His cheeks were on fire. Oikawa pointed his left cheek again and closed his eyes in waiting. He couldn’t see Hinata smirking, as he picked up all the courage he had and went for it. He was aiming for the cheek, but change his mind all of a sudden. He licked Oikawa’s lower lip and sucked it. Oikawa moaned, hurt a little and widely opened his eyes when he heard Hinata muffling a laugh.

« YOU! » whispered Oikawa shocked.

« That should put a stop on you taking the mickey out of me. » commented Hinata satisfied.

Oikawa was speechless. He didn’t move, he didn’t speak. He kept staring at him in pure shock.

« What ? You asked for it! You were messing with my head, so I messed with yours. » laughed Hinata a little.

Oikawa was still staring at him in complete silence, brushing his lips with his fingers. Hinata felt anxiety take every inch of his body. His heart started to pound on his chest, threatening to rip it.

« I’m sorry, I didn’t expect you to be disgusted ‘til this point. » said Hinata in a lower voice. He broke free from Oikawa’s grip and sat, staring at the ground and torturing his hands.

« Disgusted ? » asked Oikawa finally out of his trance.

« Well, you pretty much look disgusted. » explained Hinata without looking at him, biting his lower lip and scratching his right arm nervously.

« Why would I be disgusted ? It’s not like it’s the first time I kiss a boy. » said Oikawa smirking. « I was only surprised. I didn’t expect you to pull such bold moves on me. »

« It’s not like I’ll do that … I’m tired and you keep messing with me, I can’t think straight anymore. » asked Hinata blushing. « So you like boys ? »

« And girls. » added Oikawa amused. It seemed that Hinata was back to his self, blushing and shy. « So chibi-chan, if you were hoping to sleep, you’re very mistaken. » laughed Oikawa pinning him on the ground again.

« Don’t call me chibi-chan. » said Hinata irked.

Oikawa lowered his head to the hollow of Hinata’s neck. His lips brushed his soft skin up to his neck, were he started to lick. At first he licked lightly, but as he kept going, he licked as he was desperate. Hinata moaned under him. He raised Hinata’s shirt and started to lick and suck his skin. Hinata’s moan grew louder and Oikawa put a hand on his mouth, muffling his voice as he sucked harder. Then he stopped all of a sudden.

« I was punishing you, chibi-chan. » whispered Oikawa fake offended. « But it seems you’re enjoying it. »

Hinata’s face was even redder now that he pointed that out.

« I’ll stop messing with you, if you do one thing for me. » said Oikawa amused.

« I’ll do this thing and you let me sleep in peace ? » asked Hinata looking at him.

« If you do. » whispered Oikawa. « If you don’t, however, I’ll mess with you and you won’t enjoying it. » added with a smirk and a serious look.

« So what is it ? » asked Hinata sighing.

« You’ll have to call me Tōru. » said Oikawa letting him sit right before him.

« What ? I can’t! » protested Hinata.

« Are you sure ? » asked Oikawa getting closer again.

Hinata froze and stared at him nervous. He blushed hard and open his mouth, but nothing came out of it. He looked away, too embarrassed to do anything. Oikawa smiled and waited.

« T-T-Tō-Tō-ru » whispered Hinata reaching the limit of his shyness.

« Sorry, I can’t hear you, chibi-chan. » said Oikawa. His heart start pounding on his chest, faster and faster. He heard it. He damn heard it.

« Tōru. » whispered a little louder Hinata, extremely embarrassed. He forced himself to look Oikawa in the eyes and whispered it once more: « Tōru. » He immediately took off his eyes from Oikawa and pointed them on the ground.

Oikawa stood there in awe. He wondered how it could sound the purest AND the dirtiest thing on Earth at the same time. He felt the urge to knock him down, rip his clothes off and taste every inch of him. He wanted to feel his dick getting hard for him, he wanted to make him scream his name as he fucked him hard, but he restrained himself with all the strength he had left and patted his head.

« Such a good good boy, chibi-chan. » whispered Oikawa. « Go to bed, I’ll let you sleep. » continued as he got up.

« But it’s yours. You should sleep in it. » said Hinata shyly.

« You’re my guest. You shall have it. » said Oikawa.

« I can’t. » replied Hinata.

« Well then, I suppose we will both sleep on the bed. It’s big enough for two. » said Oikawa with a smirk. « And that’s final. »

Hinata protested for a while, but Oikawa put him there with brute force and that had been the end of it.

Lights went off and Oikawa got in the bed. They were close.

« Goodnight Oikawa-san. »

« Goodnight Chibi-chan. »

He had said “goodnight”, but he couldn’t sleep. He kept brushing his lips as his mind recalled his tongue licking and sucking his lips. He could still feel his taste on them. He could still smell his scent. Hinata, fully asleep, turn towards Oikawa, finding shelter in his chest and the elder couldn’t help but hugging him. _If he knew, he would freak out and blush, but that’s why I like him_ , thought Oikawa breathing slowly. All of a sudden, his eyes opened when awareness struck, _Why I like him … I’m screwed_ , thought Oikawa in panic.

* * *

1) Kami-sama, in japanese means "god".  
2) Daiō-sama, is how is spelled "Grand King" in the japanese version.


	2. A cozy nest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things have gone hotter and Hinata can't face Oikawa. Oikawa's mom drives Hinata home, but they all get caught in a barbecue at Hinata's house. Things will take an interesting turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!  
> I'm so sorry for keeping you waiting. I'm a slow writer, but I really did my best to shorten the wait.  
> The chapter starts with some good quality, but from half the chapter, I don't know, I'm not so satisfied. Sadly, my parents live in Lombardia (north Italy) and due to Coronavirus, the all region is in quarantine until at least april. I live in Switzerland near the border, but I can't cross it. So I can't visit my family. That made me a little worried and I couldn't focus so well on the chapter.  
> I don't want to make excuses, but I felt you deserved some explanation.
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy it!

Chibi-chan’s secret

A cozy nest

— Chapter #2 —

Hinata Shōyō

It all began that morning, he recalled. The scent of freshly roasted coffee brushed his little nose, sneaking carefully in his nostrils. It was a delicate smell; lightly caramelized and had a blurry recollection of walnuts. It had been a gentle stroke. A shy smile grew on his relaxed face.

Now that his senses had been teased, he noticed the sweet smell of frying butter and warmed powdered sugar wafting in the room. It was the gentle scent of pancakes.

The sweet scents and the warmth of layers of blankets cuddled him, making him wish he could stay in that paradise forever.

_It was too good to be perfect_ , thought Hinata as he looked out of the car’s window. His mind returned to that moment. He was letting that candor cuddle him, when he noticed two strong arms around him. For a moment he was lost; but as he awaked, the memories came afloat. He blushed violently and grasped and squeezed a piece of blanket with his tapered fingers as awareness and embarrassment struck. He could not see, as he laid on his left side, but he knew whose arms were those. _Oikawa_.

He had closed his eyes, hoping to disappear from Earth, but his senses, now fully awakened, made him realized the most embarrassing thing he had ever experienced. A hard presence was leaning on his bottom. Hinata froze and couldn’t stifle a gasp. _This is just a dream, just a dream. This is just my imagination_ , had thought Hinata. His heart had threatened to tear his chest apart. He had tried to sneak out, but failed.

« Not yet … » had whispered Oikawa drowsy. « Don’t want … Get up. » whispered again, hugging him tightly and resting his forehead against Hinata’s back. Eyes shut and mouth half-closed; that vision could have made Hinata fall in love with him instantly, if only he could have seen it. _Cute_ , had thought Hinata. He was still extremely embarrassed by Oikawa’s hard member pressing against his bottom, but hearing him so sweet and sleepy was cute.

Eventually they got up. Hinata’s cheeks were as red as cherries and he didn’t dare to look up. For his part, Oikawa seemed completely unbothered and that pissed Hinata even more. How could he be so calm after what happened ? Hinata could not understand. _That was the most embarrassing moment in my entire life_ , thought Hinata as he hopped off the car.

« Are you sure we’re not intruding ? » asked Hanae, Oikawa’s mother, following him through the walkway.

« Sure! It was my mom’s idea! » replied Hinata as bubbly as ever. For one moment he had forgotten about the bed incident.

He took the keys out of the pocket – he had refused to leave Oikawa’s house with the Aoba Johsai t-shirt, so he wore the previous night’s clothes –, put them in the lock and open the door.

Oikawa Tōru

He followed Hinata and his mother looking around. The house was clean and cozy. A sweet smell wrapped him in a gentle hug. He heard Hinata calling for his mother, but followed no answer to it. However, Hinata smiled and carried on. As they turned to the left, he heard something. It was sweet as was the honey. The softest and most warm voice he had ever heard.

They followed the sweet voice until they found themselves in the garden. The grass was freshly cut and there was a huge apple tree in the corner. At the table there were two people; a woman was standing on her feet. It was her the sweet voice belonged. She was busy doing something, but he could not tell what, as she was showing them her back. She kept singing softly; for some reason he thought that the song was melancholy. Next to her, there sat the exact copy of Hinata. She was embroidering a dark fabric.

« She reaaaally likes that song. » explained Hinata, when the woman fell in silence.

The woman gasped and turned around quickly to look at them.

« Shōyō! When did you arrive ? » asked the woman, approaching them. « You should introduce yourself when you enter a room! »

« But you where singing and it was beautiful! » said Hinata with a little smile.

« Quite a charmer as always. » sighed the woman hopless.

Now that she was closer, he looked at her. She was younger than he had expected; her hair was of a darker shade of red than Hinata’s and her eyes were of a bright hazel. She had a pale skin, but her cheeks were rosy. She was beautiful.

She grabbed Hinata and hugged him for a while.

« God, you gave me a scare last night! » complained the woman.

Hinata complained, blushing from the embarrassment.

« Mom! Stop it, it’s embarrassing! » said Hinata, breaking free.

Oikawa smiled genuinely. He found them absolutely adorable.

« You must be Oikawa Hanae-san and Tōru-kun. » said Hinata’s mother with a sweet tone. « Please, welcome! I’m Hinata Harumi, Shōyō’s mother. » carried on the woman gently.

His mother introduced herself quickly and thanked the woman for inviting them for lunch.

« I should be the one to thank you. You took care of my son. I’m most grateful. » said Harumi, bowing for a while in gratitude.

« There’s no need to be so formal Harumi-san! » gently replied Hanae. She liked the woman. Oikawa could tell just by the sparkle in her eyes. « It was a delight to have Shōyō-kun with us. He’s such a polite boy. »

He was about to tease Hinata by highlighting how much fun they had the previous night, but a sudden movement caught his interest. Behind Chibi-chan was hiding the little girl, who sometimes peeked in his direction. She had Hinata’s same hair, but her eyes were bigger and brighter.

« And who is this beautiful princess ? » asked Oikawa lowering at her same height. He thought he would seem less scary that way. Not that he was some kid expert. He saw Hinata arching an eyebrow.

« N-Natsu. » replied the little girl shyly.

« I’m so sorry; she’s very shy with people she doesn’t know. » explained Harumi. « Natsu-chan, this is Tōru-kun, onii-chan’s friend. »

The little girl nodded and smiled at him. She was blushing. _Just like Chibi-chan_ , thought Oikawa delighted. He got back up and looked around. He had to keep his mind busy. After the dream he had, he couldn’t afford to linger on that kind of thoughts. The situation was already too messed up, but the harder he tried not to think of it, the more the dream emerged in his mind.

_It all had started in a very innocent way. He was walking on a street with Iwa-chan; they were eating ice cream._

_« Iwa-chan~, why does yours look better than mine ? Not fair! » complained Oikawa offended._

_« It’s just ice cream. » answered the boy annoyed._

_« Iwa-chan~! Let me try it! » said loudly Oikawa, as he got closer._

_« Don’t infect my ice cream with your shittiness! » said Iwaizumi protecting his ice cream._

_« But I want it! » whined Oikawa, trying to lick Iwaizumi’s ice-cream._

_He got smacked. Iwa-chan wasn’t there anymore. He wasn’t there anymore._

_I want it. I want it. I want it! His own voice echoed in his mind._

_Now he was in his bedroom. A familiar silhouette was sitting in front of him, forming a W with his legs. Fire red hair, bright hazel eyes and a puppy gaze; Hinata. He was only wearing boxers and the Aoba Johsai t-shirt._

_The boy looked up right straight at him with the purest gaze in the world._

_« T-T-Tōru. » whispered Hinata looking at the ground. His cheeks were on fire._

_« What ? »_

_« T-Tōru. » whispered again the boy. « I want it. » He was even redder._

_« Chibi-cha — »_

_« Fuck me, Tōru. » said the shy boy with a baby’s innocence._

_He couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak. He stood there in shock._

_« Don’t you want it ? I know you want me. » continued the boy with puppy eyes. « Fuck me, Tōru. » said Hinata, getting up and clinging tightly to him._

_He could feel himself getting harder and harder. Yeah, he wanted it. He wanted him._

_« I’ve been a good boy. » whispered Hinata innocently. « Please, please, please. Fuck me. » implored him._

_He had grabbed him and pushed him hard against the wall._

_« You want it ? I’ll give it to you. » said Oikawa as he lowered Hinata’s boxers._

_« Please, Tōru. » implored Hinata in a whisper, blushing violently._

_He had got inside him with one finger. He heard the boy whine in pain. He moved his finger slowly. Hinata relaxed under his slow touch. He started to move faster._

_Two fingers. Three fingers. Hinata was moaning louder and louder. He whined as the fingers left him._

_« You’re mine. » whispered Oikawa in his ear, licking and sucking his neck as he sank deep inside him with his hard member. « Say it! »_

_« I’m yours. » whispered Hinata moaning for the pleasure. « I’m only yours. »_

_Oikawa grabbed his hips with a rough grip and moved fast and hard. He wanted to hear him scream._

_« T-T-Tōru! » screamed Hinata as Oikawa fucked him roughly._

« Mom you can relax now, I’ll take care of the grill. You’ve already done enough! » said Hinata with a big sweet smile. His voice brought him back to reality. He didn’t dare to look up. _Play dumb, play dumb_ , thought Oikawa as he realized in how deep trouble he was.

« Harumi-san, you’re so lucky to have such considerate son. » said his mother, looking in admiration in Hinata’s direction. « Go help Shōyō-kun! He can’t do all by himself! » added the woman with a death stare. He knew what that meant. It screamed “Disgrace of a son, you should have volunteered. Making me do a bad impression like that. You dishonored yourself. You dishonored your mother. You dishonored your whole family. It’s kung pao chicken for you tonight”. The thought of that horrible spicy dish made him sweat in horror.

« Chibi-chan~! Wait, I’ll help you! » said Oikawa joining him.

Hinata was quiet. Oikawa didn’t know Hinata well enough to form a specific idea, but he thought it was not like him to behave like that. _He must be mad_ , thought Oikawa following the red-haired boy. They passed the kitchen and they went upstairs.

« This is my bedroom. » explained Hinata politely. He didn’t even wait for an answer. He got in and went straight to the closet. He started to change his clothes carelessly. Oikawa was too concerned about his weird behavior to indulge to look at his body.

« Are you mad ? » asked Oikawa staring at him anxious.

« Why would I be mad ? » asked Hinata almost surprised.

« For what happened this morning ? » It was meant to be a statement, but Oikawa was not sure himself if it was the only reason Hinata was behaving like that.

« It’s not like you did it on purpose, you can’t control those things. » answered Hinata with a low voice, avoiding eye contact. It almost looked liked he was trying to convince himself.

« So why are you avoiding me ? » asked Oikawa roaming in the room. It was surprisingly tidy and well decorated. He thought it would be chaotic; Hinata had a bubbly and energetic personality, he didn’t pass for the organized person. That was unexpected.

« I’m not avoiding you. » replied Hinata looking at him for the first time that day. « I just feel uncomfortable and I really don’t know what to think, If I’m being honest. »

Oikawa stopped and turned around. He inspected Hinata with a long glance. Hinata was standing and looking at him, but he kept scratching his right arm and biting his lower lip. He was nervous.

« Think about what ? » asked Oikawa surprisingly serious. Hinata looked around, as if he was searching for an escape.

« I don’t know what to think of you. » replied the boy looking away. « Until yesterday I thought you really hated me. Then I found out you don’t, and you teased and messed with me. Not that I don’t enjoy — » he was interrupted.

« Chibi-chan — »

« It’s just … I don’t know when you’re messing with me and when you are being yourself. » whispered Hinata looking at him with a sincere gaze. « I don’t take certain things lightly, I can’t help it. If you’ll fool around like that, I’ll search for a meaning, when there isn’t one. » explained calmly.

« You really are cute, Chibi-chan. » laughed Oikawa amused. « I like teasing, but I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable. »

Hinata nodded and set off towards the door, but Oikawa stopped him, placing an arm right before he could pass.

« You know Chibi-chan, it’s still your fault. » whispered Oikawa with a smirk on his lips. « If you wanted me to stop, you should have said so. »

Hinata froze on the spot and blushed. He couldn’t even look at him. Oikawa’s smirk grew even bigger.

« But you didn’t push me away … » continued Oikawa putting a finger under his chin, raising it. Hinata was forced to look at him. « Because you liked it. »

Hinata blushed even harder and furrowed his brows. He opened his mouth and shut it a few times.

« You wish! » protested at last Hinata vexed.

His reaction was all Oikawa needed to resume the teasing. He gently grabbed Hinata’s shoulders, pushed the boy out of the door and followed him to the kitchen.

« Chibi-chan~! Let’s grill! » said Oikawa with a scary bubbly energy. The demon was back.

« So troublesome, Daiō-sama. » complained Hinata in a whisper.

« Whaat ? » asked sarcastically Oikawa tightening the grip on the boy’s shoulders. « I thought you were saying something. »

« You must be hallucinating, maybe you’re low on sugar. » laughed Hinata escaping his claws.

_This brat_ , thought Oikawa half annoyed and half amused. He was going to reply with some clever cutting remark, but he stopped as he saw Hinata getting busy. He moved with confidence, as if it was a routine. He pushed the heating button of the rice cooker. Then, he pulled the meat out of the refrigerator and washed his hands before starting to work with it.

« I thought you volunteered to help. » said Hinata with a sharp knife in his right hand.

« My sugar level must be reaaaally low. » joked Oikawa with a smirk. « I didn’t know what I was saying. »

« Why does it sound like you can’t do it ? » exclaimed Hinata. This time he was the one to smirk.

« My mom is protective of her kitchen, it can’t be helped. » said Oikawa in a lame excuse.

« Yeah, I guess I would be worried too. » started Hinata while cutting the meat into slices. Then he added salt and pepper on both sides. « She must be worried that you could blow up your entire family in an attempt to cook. »

« Chibi-chan so mean~! » whined Oikawa looking hurt. « I can cook, you know ? »

« What can you cook ? » asked Hinata slicing the aubergines and the courgettes.

« Well, I can do scrambled eggs, salads and miso soup! » said Oikawa proudly.

Hinata was smirking in silence, while he mixed two tablespoons of soy sauce, two of sake, two of mirin and one of sugar, preparing the teriyaki sauce for the grilled meat. _For real_ ? thought Oikawa annoyed.

« Sometimes my mom has to work until late, so I’m the one to cook for her and my sister. » explained Hinata, trying to cheer him up a little. « Can you please take these to the grill in the garden ? » asked politely.

Oikawa looked at him surprised. From the outside, Hinata seemed really simple-minded and almost childish, but he started to realize that the reality was far from it. There was so much he didn’t know about Hinata and the curiosity was growing bigger as he spent more time with the boy.

He took the tray to the garden. His mother was chatting with Harumi-san; they were having a good time. His mother was smiling a lot. His bowels squeezed into a tight grip. He felt sad as he could not remember the last time that he saw his mother look so happy. He drove away those thoughts and returned in the kitchen.

Hinata was quietly shaping a rice ball into a triangular shape. His hands moved smoothly and quickly. He added nori seaweed and placed the onigiri on the plate, completing a new line. The boy bolted to the sink and put his hands under the cold running water. He seemed relieved. The rice must have been really hot. He remembered his sister doing the same thing. He smiled.

« Chibi-chan, so cute. » teased Oikawa, while they walked towards the grill.

« Don’t Chibi-chan me! » complained Hinata as he started to put the meat on the hot grill.

« But you are chibi! » continued Oikawa. He was having fun. « When you’ll grow, I’ll find you a new nickname, happy ? »

« Not in the slightest. » said Hinata with furrowed brows.

« They bicker like sweethearts. » joked his mother with a sweet teasing voice.

« They look so cute! » laughed Hinata’s mother.

Hinata froze and focused on the grilling meat and vegetables, as he violently blushed for the embarrassment. He looked daggers at his mother. _Maybe she’s a psychic, maybe she saw through my sinful thoughts earlier_ , thought Oikawa panicking on the inside, while he put an annoyed face to cover his crimes.

« Onii-chan! » exclaimed Natsu bringing the two boys back to reality. She was clinging at Hinata’s t-shirt, looking at him with adoring eyes. _So lucky_ , thought Oikawa wishing he had a sweet little sister like her.

« Natsu! You shouldn’t stay near the grill. » said Hinata lowering at her height. « I don’t want you to get hurt. » said softly messing with her hair.

« Onii-chan’s birthday present! » said the little girl handing over a black soft object.

It was the black fabric she was embroidering before. 飛べ (Fly) was embroidered with a white thread on the top left of the black t-shirt. A little above the kanjis was embroidered a little crow. However, she showed off her true embroidering skills once Hinata turned the t-shirt over. There was embroidered a pair of wings on the back. _So annoying, how is it that he gets to be spoilt by this angel and I don’t get to be adored that way in my life_? thought Oikawa’s inner diva.

« N-N-NATSU~~~! » cried Hinata out of pure joy. He was literally tearing up. He stared at the present with a big smile and his eyes shone. « You are the best little sister in the world! I’ll treat you to ice cream! » bursted hugging the little girl.

« You have to wear it during practice, so you’ll remember you can fly. » said Natsu staring at him with a serious glare.

« Leave it to your Onii-chan, we’ll be the ones to win this time. » burst Hinata with some impressive self-confidence. « Now put this somewhere safe. We don’t want it to get dirty, do we ? »

The little girl nodded with a smile and flew in the house. Hinata finished to grill and brought the food on the table. Grilled meat and vegetables with teriyaki sauce and onigiri. _Guess I’m one lucky bastard too, getting to eat Chibi-chan’s hand-made delicious food_ , thought Oikawa nearly getting turned-on.

« So Tōru-kun, are you also from Karasuno ? » asked Harumi-san during lunch.

« No, I’m from Aoba Johsai. We met during a practice match. » explained Oikawa politely.

« Oh, so you play volleyball too. » said the woman nicely.

« He’s amazing, mom! He’s the one I told you about. » interrupted Hinata excited. « He even won the Best Setter Award in the prefecture in junior high! »

Oikawa seemed fairly smug about it. He didn’t even try to conceal it. _Oh Chibi-chan, singing such sweet words to my ears, you’ll make me fall so hard_ , thought to himself.

« But your team has also done a good job. Didn’t you drag my son’s team to the third set and fought ‘til the last point ? » asked Hanae-san impressed. « Keep practicing! » said the woman with a sweet smile.

Oikawa arched a brow and looked at her with a “Whose-side-are-you-on?” kind of glare.

« I’ll do my best! » burst Hinata taking it very seriously.

« You better do your best with your studies too, young man. » said Harumi-san with a death stare. « Do I have to remind you that if you fail, you won’t be able to go to training camp ? »

The woman was literally twisting the knife in the wound. _This woman’s scary, thank god she’s not my mother_ , thought Oikawa relieved.

« Tsukki and Yachi-san are helping me! » said Hinata proudly. « I’ll figure something out for math. » continued Hinata devouring his meat.

« You could ask your friend to help you. » proposed Harumi-san.

« Which friend ? » asked Hinata.

« The one who always tosses you the ball. » said Harumi-san, trying hard to remember the boy’s name.

Oikawa stiffened on the spot. He didn’t need to hear the name to figure out who she was talking about. Hinata burst to laugh, holding tightly his tummy. He was teary-eyed.

« Who ? Kageyama ? » he was laughing even harder. « His grades are as despairing as mines! If he’s the one helping me with math, then I’m doomed. »

« There’s nothing to laugh — » was saying Harumi-san, before his mother open her mouth. The woman had something in mind. He could sense the scheming in the air.

« Tōru can help you, his grades are good. » proposed the woman over the moon by the idea.

_There she is. I fucking knew it. Someone give this woman a Master of Scheming Award_ , thought Oikawa on the verge of nerves breakdown.

« Of course. » said Oikawa with a fake smile. _One must always indulge crazy people_ , thought Oikawa to convince himself.

« Give him your number already! » said the woman annoyed. « How do you expect the poor boy to contact you ? By sending a pigeon to you ? Tōru, you really are impossible. »

« You are so kind, Tōru-kun. How can we repay you ? » asked Harumi-san concerned.

« Oh I’m sure Chibi-chan will figure something out, right ? » said Oikawa with a smirk. « We could play some volleyball, or you can treat me to milk bread! » said Oikawa teasing the boy.

« Is this how you treat you friends ? I didn’t teach you these things! » protested his mother completely ashamed.

« I was joking! Chibi-chan knows it! » said Oikawa in a fake laugh. He clearly wasn’t joking and Hinata knew it.

At last they exchanged contact information, for his mother’s joy.

A phone ring caught his attention. It came from Hinata’s phone. His face lit up; his eyes got sparkles and his lips curved up in a big smile. He typed something and after a short while the phone rang again. His entire attention was focused on the person who kept writing him. Somehow that annoyed him.

« Shōyō, put that thing away. It’s rude! » said Harumi-san, while she brought something on the table. It was apple pie. « For taking care of Shōyō. » explained the woman, getting ready to cut the cake into slices.

His mother hastened to compliment her and said how unnecessary it was. “It was a pleasure taking care of Shōyō-kun, maybe he can sleepover sometimes” had said the woman. He couldn’t follow their conversation, as he was curious to know who could catch Hinata’s attention in that way.

« MOM! Look! So cool! » said Hinata over the moon. He showed her the phone. As he sat next to him, he could not see what the fuss was all about.

« Oh, those boys! You really are getting closer! » commented the woman pleased.

« They are amazing, mom! You can’t understand. » said Hinata, staring at his phone with a smile. « They are top 4 in all Tokyo’s prefecture. Kenma’s a mastermind and Kuroo’s so smart and strong. His spikes could break my arms! » said Hinata lost in adoration.

Oikawa succeeded to peek on Hinata’s phone. He was so lost in contemplation that he didn’t realized. On the display there was a photo of two smiling boys holding two train tickets to Sendai in their hands. _Nekoma uh ? So that’s what was all the fuss about. This is going to be so annoying_ , thought Oikawa foreseeing what would come next.

« HUH ?! » burst out Hinata in complete surprise. « Why didn’t you tell me ? » asked Hinata deeply hurt.

« Tell you what ? » asked Oikawa rolling his eyes.

« That you’ll have a practice match against Nekoma tomorrow! » explained Hinata. His face was twisted in sorrow.

« Well, I didn’t know you were friends. » replied Oikawa trying to hide is disappointment.

The phone rang again on the table. The display lit and was there for everyone to see.

**Whatsapp**

**Kozume Kenma** : “Come see us, Chibi-chan ~! -Kuroo”

_Chibi-chan_ , read Oikawa again and again in his mind. He could feel his stomach squeeze and a heavy weight on his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, as you can see lots of interesting things happened to those two lovebirds <3  
> I had so much fun writing the morning scene and Oikawa remembering his dirty dream. I hope you enjoyed it!  
> Kuroo has entered the picture, so things will get even more interesting from now on!
> 
> I read and re-read the chapter multiple times, I corrected it the best I could, but some mistakes could have slipped my reading, so I apologize for that!
> 
> Feel free to correct me and tell me what you think about this new chapter! <3


	3. Announcement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This will contain an important announcement.

Dear readers,  
I'm so sorry to use this sacred space to make an announcement, but I really have no choice.  
Tonight I was assaulted by my ex fiancé with threats, insults and psychological abuse.  
I decided to denounce this to the police, but I'm deeply shaken and scared for what happened tonight, so I don't know if I will be able to write and post the new chapter soon.

I'm so very sorry to let you down like this, but I'm afraid the sadness and distress I'm feeling right now will affect my writing and I would feel terribly if I'll end up disappoint you.

This story means a lot to me and I don't want that horrible person to destroy this beautiful thing I have, that we have.

I hope you can forgive me.

With love,

Lily


	4. Game On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nekoma gets in town for a practing match with Aobajohsai. Oikawa is in a bad mood and things are going to go downhill, but he doesn't know it yet ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!  
> I'm so sorry for the delay. As I said on the announcement on Chapter 3, I really had a bad week. My ex-fiancé kept assaulting, threatening, insulting me and I really struggled to write this chapter.  
> I know that many of you told me not to feel pressured, nor to rush, but I really found comfort in writing, as I entered a world he couldn't reach me.  
> I know that this chapter is not great; I could have done better, but please forgive me for this one.

Chibi-chan’s secret

Game on

— Chapter #3 —

« To all my dear readers who found a kind word when I needed it the most;

Thank You from the bottom of my heart. I couldn’t hope for better fans.

Your concern, your kind words, your encouragement

gave me the strengths to deal with all of this.

A special thanks to my precious kōhai shoyoboke,

Who listened to me through all my mood swings.

Who made me laugh and inspired me to do my best.

Wiky-chan~, so sweet. ♥ »

Oikawa Tōru

The storm raged outside the window; the wind howled, and the leaves were slammed here and there by a frightful whirlwind. A wicked thunder broke the warmth of his sleep. He rolled to his left side and a groan slipped out of his lips. He had tried to fall asleep again under that fluffy mass of blankets, but with the noise of the pouring rain, the uproar of the thunders and a growing sense of apprehension, he had failed to find peace within himself.

At last, he gave up on the idea of sleeping again that morning. He stretched his arm and reached out for his phone. His hand moved by itself. Thanks to tactile memory, he could open his chat with Iwaizumi. He pressed the voice message button.

« Iwa-chan~, the universe hates me. » whined Oikawa in a low and drowsy voice.

He had not to wait long. He could see the “online” notification under his friend’s name.

« Shittykawa, it’s six in the morning. Fuck off! » complained Iwaizumi still drowsy.

« But I need some affection, Iwa-chan~. » whispered Oikawa in a complaint.

Iwaizumi had heard the message but chose to ignore him. He put the phone back on the bedside table and stared at the ceiling. He could not see, as his eyes had not yet adjusted to the darkness in the room.

“ _Come see us, Chibi-chan_!” those words popped up in his head. They felt like a punch right in the stomach. He grumbled pestered. Then, he took the pillow laying under his head and pressed it against his face. _He means nothing to me_ , repeated Oikawa to himself, as Hinata’s blushing face appeared in his mind.

He sighed and got out of bed. He tidied up the room and let himself drop in the bathtub. He sank in the hot water, holding his breath as long as he could. His eyes were closed, but he could see far more; Hinata looking right straight at him, spiking that freak quick for the first time, Hinata’s asking him if he was there to fight him, their encounter at the train station, Hinata’s ranting all the way home, the little boy whispering his name with his cheeks on fire. Oikawa emerged and breathed in deeply.

_I’m just annoyed that someone is trying to steal my new toy_ , told himself Oikawa letting his fingers brush his hair away from the face. _He’s just a toy_ , thought Oikawa lathering himself.

After the bath, Oikawa wore his uniform and went downstairs. He hadn’t noticed the little noises from the kitchen until that moment. He drew near and saw his mother busy with cooking.

« Hi mom. » said Oikawa sitting by the table. « Why are you already up ? » asked looking at the clock. It was now seven o’clock. _The match doesn’t start until 9, I still have some time_ , thought Oikawa.

« You have a practice match today; I’m making sure you’ll eat properly. » said Hanae with a sweet smile. She had prepared miso soup and onigiri.

Oikawa broke his fast digging into the food as if he didn’t eat for ages. _These onigiris are delicious, just like Hinat —_ , thought Oikawa before freezing instantly, the arm still mid-air. His brows were furrowed and his jaw tense.

« Oh, I don’t like that look! » said his mother sipping her tea.

« What look ? » played dumb Oikawa resuming eating.

« Just because you look like an angel, doesn’t mean you are one. » said sofly Hanae with an arched brow. « You’re hiding something, what is it ? »

He had always hated her ability to see right through him. Nothing could escape his mother’s eyes.

« Everything’s horrible. Don’t ever go to high school, mom, people are sneaky. They steal everything you have and make your life miserable. » complained Oikawa resting his chin on his palm.

« So, paraphrasing it, you’re afraid someone is coming here to steal a certain friend of yours. » said Hanae, then proceeded to take a long sip of her tea.

« Exactly. » whispered Oikawa distractedly. « NO! I mean … » his eyes were wide open.

« Tōru, let this old woman give you a piece of advice. » started the woman seriously. « The more you try to put people on a leash, the more they’ll wish to break free from you. »

« I don’t like leaving things to chance. » said Oikawa fed up.

« _Things_. » repeated the woman. « Hinata’s a person and even if his friend would try to convince him that you’re not good enough, he’ll fail. Remember: the things you say about someone tell more about you than about that person. »

Oikawa smirked before taking a long sip of his tea.

« You’re scheming. What’s getting you in such a good mood ? » asked the woman worried to death. The sparkle in that little devil’s eyes told her all. She didn’t like it.

« You know mom ? Your words made me find something I missed for a long time. » said Oikawa totally regenerated.

« And what would that be ? » asked the woman staring at him.

« Someone to destroy. » said Oikawa with a smirk on his face.

The woman burst into laughs and started washing the dishes.

« Why are you laughing ? » asked Oikawa irritated.

« I’m laughing because you are hilarious! » said the woman while cleaning.

Oikawa got up and went back in his room. _That woman is evil_ , thought the brunette while he started preparing for the match. _Uniform, shoes, towel, flip-flops, bubble bath, keys_ , thought Oikawa as he put the things in the backpack. He went downstairs and sit at the genkan, wearing his shoes.

« Are you sure you don’t want a ride ? » asked his mother dead serious. « It’s not storming like before, but it’s still raining. »

« I’m leaving. » said Oikawa still hurt for his mother’s laughs at him. He figured it would be a better choice to walk to school; he would regain his composure and lose some time in the process. He would arrive just in time to make his grand entrance.

« Good luck with that self-destruction of yours! » laughed his mother as he walked out.

That morning the weather was as black as his mood. He had brought out the mini turquoise umbrella and set off towards the school. He put his headphones on and play some pop music. As he walked, he could recall Hinata’s rant from that night. Not long after, he found himself at school. In the distance, he saw Iwaizumi greeting the Nekoma team.

Suddenly there were girls screaming and he instantly found himself surrounded by fans and admirers. He acted surprised, despite everything was going according to plan. The first piece was falling in the right place. He loved when things went as he wanted. He loved being in control.

« O-O-Oikawa-senpai, please accept these! » said a girl blushing.

« Oh, did you do these just for me ? Oh, I’m so lucky! » replied Oikawa with a big smile. « I’ll save them for later! »

« Oikawa senp— » the girl couldn’t finish the sentence, as Iwaizumi hit Oikawa on the back of his head.

« Shittykawa, my patience is wearing thin. » said Iwaizumi with a low and scary voice.

« You hurt me, Iwa-chan~! » complained Oikawa closing the umbrella, as he was pushed forward with raw brute force by Iwaizumi. He ended up being pushed until he was inside the huge sport building. « So impatient, Iwa-chan. Don’t worry, you’ll have my ready and prompt attention. ♥ » exclaimed Oikawa, teasing him.

« Do you wish to be hit again, Assikawa ? » asked Iwaizumi dead serious. In that moment, his meter and nearly eighty centimeters were scarier than ever.

However, Oikawa basically being Oikawa couldn’t let such opportunity go to waste. The teams were looking at them; Seijoh’s members were not impressed, as things like that happened all the time between those two. The cats, however, were not accustomed to such weirdness and they couldn’t hide their astonishment.

He leant forward, so close to Iwaizumi’s ear. He breathed out slowly on his neck, making Iwaizumi shiver a little.

« Who knows ? Maybe you’ll end up turning me on, Iwa-chan. » said Oikawa in his ear with a low and hoarse voice, then looking straight at his mates’ eyes. He walked away as if nothing had happened.

Coach Irihata had showed the way to the locker room to Nekoma’s members. Without any further turmoil, Seijoh’s players got in their changing room as well.

Suddenly the atmosphere had changed. Since they got in that room, Oikawa had fell silent. He moved mechanically, as if something was wrong with him. Once he had finished to change, he slammed the locker door clearly annoyed.

« Let’s crush them. » whispered Oikawa clenching his fists. He had heard Makki say “Do you know what’s wrong with him ?” to Iwaizumi, before leaving the room. _Yeah, what’s wrong with me_ ? asked Oikawa to himself.

As he entered the gym, his eyes flew to the stands, searching for _him_. He couldn’t help it, he had not the time to physically restrain himself to avoid that. Everyone started their warm-up.

He sighed and went straight towards the benches, where there sat Head Coach Irihata and Coach Mizoguchi. The whole team gathered around and listened to Coach Irihata’s instruction for the game. As for him, he hadn’t heard a single word of it; even if his eyes were fixed to coach Irihata’s face, his mind was leagues away from that volleyball court. His jaw was stiffened, his palms sweaty and his heart kept pounding harder as time passed. _Where is he ? Why is he not here ?_ thought Oikawa while his innards twisted. That’s all he could think about.

« Oy Shittykawa, you have to go greet Nekoma’s captain. » said Iwaizumi hitting him.

Oikawa slowly returned to reality and nodded. He put a straight face and walked towards the half of the court. He saw a tall, black haired, handsome guy walking towards him. _So that’s Kuroo Tetsurō, Nekoma’s captain_ , thought Oikawa annoyed.

_Come see us, Chibi-chan_! The words had popped up in his head. His jaw stiffened instantly.

« Welcome to Aobajohsai High School. I hope you had a good trip. » said Oikawa with a big fake smile. He hadn’t meant a single word of it.

_What has Hinata even seen in this guy ? Seems just a smug pompous idiot to me_ , thought Oikawa, as if he weren’t just as conceited himself. Kuroo’s reply was as cunning as his.

« Well then! Let’s have a good game, Kuroo-chan~. » declared Oikawa courteously. He had added that -chan just to mess with him, knowing that it would make him feel uneasy, as if he had been belittled.

« Yeah, let’s have a good match! » replied Kuroo politely. He knew he was being just as smart as he was. He was troublesome, that he knew from the little encounter alone.

Nekoma chose the field, as for Seijoh, Oikawa was the one who would hit the first serve.

« So, as always … I believe in you. » exclaimed Oikawa completely serious, as if his previous weirdness had never happened. It sounded even more threatening than usual. Seijoh’s players suddenly seemed more intimidating than ever.

As the volleyball touched his fingers, all his thoughts disappeared. From the first time since he woke up that morning, his mind was clear. He could see so much now; the court, the net, the players. The starting whistle broke the silence. Oikawa breathed in deeply and, without rush, tossed the ball up in the air, before spiking it with all his might.

The ball hit the enemy’s court ground, right in the left angle, as if it were a blast. No one had the time to move. That point was more than a lucky ace. It held a powerful message; not only Oikawa could hit such powerful serves, but he could hit the ball as precisely as a sniper. He surely was a frightening opponent.

« Oikawa, mou ippon1 ! » roared Iwaizumi following his friend’s pugnacious mood.

_Iwa-chan, if you scream my name like that, how can I fail you ?_ thought Oikawa preparing to serve again. The referee whistled and Oikawa’s serve hit the other half of the court. The player had reacted quickly, but they had expected it to hit the left, while this time the ball went straight at the angle on the right side.

« Oikawa-senpai, nice serve! » had screamed the group of fans on the stands.

He had smiled and waved at them touched by their affection. He prepared himself for another one. He saw Nekoma’s libero fall back and stare at him. The referee whistled once again. Oikawa tossed the ball up in the air, but spiked it softly, with his palm. The ball landed just right after the net.

The players on the other half of the court were completely astonished by what had just happened. They were looking at each other, trying to figure out how to stop him. That made him shiver in pleasure.

The referee had whistled again, but this time was different. Nekoma’s coach had called for his first time-out. He walked quickly and isolated himself on the last and far part of the bench. He had closed his eyes and kept breathing steadily. He got up when the whistle reached his ears and slowly walked towards the court.

_So it’s up to Kuroo-chan and the libero to stop me_ , thought Oikawa analyzing the players positions. The referee whistled and once again, everything disappeared. It was all just him and the ball. He spiked it with all his force.

« MINE! » screamed Kuroo, who, with one graceful catlike leap, bumped the ball straight up the setter’s head.

Every movement of that guy was perfect; his jump, his arms, the way he stopped the ball’s both strength and rotation, his ability to make the ball land right above the setter. _Chibi-chan, now I know why you like him so much_ , thought Oikawa to himself. He was already in position to set.

His eyes scanned the entire court; the ball, his teammates, his opponents, the setter’s body language. Everything. _Who are you going to toss, Puddinghead-kun_ ? thought Oikawa glancing at him with his eye’s tail. Two hitters on the other side of the net were ready to jump and hit the ball.

The setter lightly glanced at his left; two blockers jumped.

« IWA-CHA— » started to say Oikawa, but could never finish his warning.

It was already too late. The sound of the ball hitting the floor had been like a whip blow. The setter had dumped the ball right over the net.

« Oikawa, I’m so sorry. I totally fell for it. » said Iwaizumi ashamed.

« Shake it off, Iwa-chan. » said Oikawa patting Iwaizumi’s back. « I know you’ll catch it next time. »

That was how an incredible match started. That dump fueled Seijoh’s players even more. Nekoma’s number seven, Inuoka Sō, was ready to serve. Once the referee’s whistle broke the silence, he tossed the ball up in the air and spike it on the other side of the court.

« KUNIMI! » roared Kindaichi who was too forward from the ball landing spot.

« Kindaichi, chill! » said the boy bumping the ball effortlessly. There were no unnecessary movement in his save. « Captain! »

« Nimi-chan~, _nice_ bump! » shouted Oikawa with a rare genuine smile.

Kunimi had made the ball fly right above Oikawa’s head, who was in a perfect position to toss. His feet were fixed on the ground and his arms ready to toss. His body was perpendicular to the net; it was impossible to figure out where would he toss the ball.

Oikawa moved gracefully, tossing the ball right in front of him. A toss that screamed “I trust you”. Words weren’t needed. Iwaizumi was already there, jumping high in the air, with his arm ready to spike. On the other side of the net two blockers jumped, but it was too late. Iwaizumi had spiked it and the ball had smashed on the ground like a gunshot.

« Iwaizumi, nice kill! »

« Iwa-chan~, don’t waste your energy showing off, you’ll never pull a girl anyway! » had joked Oikawa with a smirk on his face. Iwaizumi had hit his left side.

« Shut up or I’ll hit you again, Shittykawa! » had grumbled Iwaizumi with his eyebrows furrowed.

« Cut it off with the hitting already! So mean, Iwa-chan~. » had waved Oikawa.

The game resumed with Kindaichi’s serve and with that started a real battle. For every spike, followed a spectacular bump and the game became more and more compelling. Soon, Seijoh reached the set point. It was Oikawa’s turn to serve.

He walked to his position outside the court. His eyes were scrutinizing the entire court, but one thing got his attention. A door slammed. A little mass of red hair was running to the first line of the stands. _He’s here_ , thought Oikawa as his heart started to pound. Relief. He felt relief. Without even realizing, a genuine smiled rose on his face. _Chibi-chan, what took you so long ?_ thought Oikawa before spiking the ball even more aggressively. It was a straight ace. They had won the first set. _Then why do I feel this apprehension growing ?_ asked himself Oikawa, as they switched to the other side of the court.

Hinata Shōyō

He didn’t have to look at his wristwatch to know how terribly late he was. He hadn’t forgotten or overslept – there was simply no such thing as forgetting a Nekoma vs Aobajohsai match, even if it was just a practice match –, things had gone downhill, to say the least.

He had hopped off the bicycle and locked it safely at a covered bicycle parking stand. _Good thing I’ve been here before_ , thought the red haired as he hurtled to the Sport Building. He dodged the people who found themselves in his path, before gliding on the right. He slammed the stands’ door and rushed down the stairs, reaching the first spots. He had made it in time to see Oikawa serving the most powerful serve he had ever seen him performing. _It’s an ace, there no way it isn’t_ , thought Hinata just before the ball smashed against the floor.

Despite the first set loss, Nekoma’s team looked relaxed. It was obvious to Hinata that they were just warming up, observing the opponent’s moves before striking back. _The game has just begun_ , thought Hinata as he moved along with the court’s swap.

« Kenma! Hii! » rang Hinata with a cheerful voice.

The boy posed his bottle water down and slowly looked up. He was already showing some tiredness.

« Shōyō! You came! » said the boy with dyed hair with a shy smile. It was merely sketched out, but it was there.

« Of course, I came! I wouldn’t miss it for the world! » exclaimed the red haired one blushing lightly. « Catch! » added before throwing a high energy snack to Nekoma’s setter.

« Chibi-chan, you’re late! » complained Kuroo looking at him with a fake sad face. « And why is he getting a snack and I don’t ? » asked with an even more sad face.

« Because Kenma needs it the most, you can manage! » replied Hinata with a smirk. « And I really have a good excuse for being late! »

« Oh, is that so ? » asked Kuro with an arched eyebrow.

Before he could ask further explanation, a whistle broke the silence.

« The second set is starting, Kuroo … Later! » said Hinata sticking out his tongue. Everyone run to their own positions and Hinata sat in a free spot in the first line.

It was Kuroo’s time to serve. As the referee whistled, he breathed out slowly, tossed the ball up in the air, run a little and in one graceful jump he spiked the ball. It was a cannon shot, and it landed beautifully on the right side on his opponents’ court, a few millimeters before the border line.

_What are you even smirking for ? It was the least you could do, since you invited me here, honestly_ , thought Hinata amused, as he watched Kuroo smirking with a smug attitude.

His phone shook in his pocket, distracting him from the game. He took it out and read the notification. He started participating at the conversation.

**Whatsapp, Karasuno Volleyball Club** group chat.

 **Shimizu Kyoko** : “I’m heading to the ticket office right now. *^^*”

 **Sawamura Daichi** : “Thank you Shimizu-san! Was anyone able to reach Kageyama, Tsukishima or Yamaguchi ?”

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “Kageyama can’t, his mom is sick so she thought it wouldn’t be appropriate.”

 **Sugawara Kōshi** : “Well, friday Yamaguchi was telling me he had plans for the weekend with Tsukishima. It was about a trip at Tsukki’s granparents’ house in the mountains.”

 **Sawamura Daichi** : “Maybe they’re having problems with the transportations too”.

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “Is anyone at school with Takeda-sensei right now ? I know he said he would be fine, but I think someone should help. :/”

 **Sawamura Daichi** : “Yeah, I called coach Ukai, he said he was going to help him settle things, so Take-chan could speak with the vice.”

 **Tanaka Ryūnosuke** : “I called Noya-san, Ennoshita-san, Kinoshita and Narita too. We’re dividing the tasks among ourselves, so as soon as it’s done, two will also help at the gym.”

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “Tanaka-senpai, you’re the best! 😊”

 **Sugawara Kōshi** : “Wait, if those three aren’t available, someone will be left out.”

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “I already took care of it. I spoke with my mom, she said we have enough room for two. I’ll send you the list of pairs; I tried to remember your requests, but take a look and tell me if there are mistakes.”

 **Sugawara Kōshi** : “Hinata you’re really great! I’m sorry that you had to do all this alone and we’re still counting on you so much. You’re our precious kōhai ♥.”

 **Tanaka Ryūnosuke** : “Yeah! I never had a kōhai as great as you. You’re making your senpai proud!”

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “Suga-san~, Tanaka-senpai! You’re too kind! I’m sorry that I got you all involved in this, but I couldn’t sit and watch. It really felt wrong. T.T”

 **Azumane Asahi** : “Don’t worry, it was the right thing to do!”

 **Sugawara Kōshi** : “It’s not like you forced us! I think that everyone here is happy to help. If someone wasn’t alright with this, he would have said so, don’t worry!”

 **Tanaka Ryūnosuke** : “Yeah, this is actually a good idea. We’re gonna have so much fun!”

 **Sawamura Daichi** : “So, how are things going over there ? How much time do we have ?”

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “Seijoh won the first set. They’ve just started the second, but you now how the cats are … For every point Seijoh scores, Nekoma slowly and steadily catches up. There will be a third set. I’ll keep you posted, but I’m quite sure about it.”

 **Tanaka Ryūnosuke** : “Sneaky bastards! Hey Hinata, greet Yamamoto for me!”

 **Sugawara Kōshi** : “That’s good, we’ll have enough time! … Honestly Tanaka, you’re going to see the guy soon enough!”

 **Sawamura Daichi** : “Yeah, seems like it! So are we good on food ?”

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “I prepared onigiri and yakitori.”

 **Yachi Hitoka** : “I’m preparing nikujaga, takoyaki and kushiage.”

 **Sugawara Kōshi** : “I’m cooking tsukune and karē-raisu. I know Noya and Tanaka are also cooking something.”

A sudden whistle brought Hinata back to reality. Seijoh was calling his first time-out, as Nekoma had started to lead the game and imposing their game speed. They quickly got back in position, as Kuroo prepared to serve again. _I’m sorry Kuroo, I got distracted_ , thought Hinata promising to himself that he would pay attention this time.

His serve was neat and powerful. The ball flew at a high speed over the net; Kunimi had tried to block it, but he was crushed by the force of the spike. He had scored another point. He could see him smiling and rejoicing with his teammates. Suddenly their eyes met; Hinata could feel his cheeks getting hotter and hotter as he kept looking at him. He didn’t even realize he had been smiling to him.

The game resumed, but all Hinata could see was Kuroo’s body. He didn’t care about the game anymore; it was as if everything else had disappeared. He couldn’t hear the whistles, nor the players yelling. He only saw Kuroo’s legs leaping with an incredible agility and his strong arms spiking. Then there was that smile, _his_ smile. _You’re stunning, but you already know it, don’t you ?_ thought Hinata as he leant on the balustrade with his arms.

« CAPTAIN! » yelled Kindaichi as the ball flew right above the net and threatened to fall to their side of the court.

« Push it! » shouted Iwaizumi with his face twisted in horror.

Oikawa jumped high and pushed with all his strength. Hinata could see it; his arms were extended over his head in a flexion. His arms’ muscles were tense, and his face was blurting his strain out. Despite being a little shorter than Kuroo, Oikawa was pushing hard, so hard that he made the ball fly over the black haired one’s head. The ball smashed to the ground.

Oikawa looked up, right to him for a brief moment, but it had been enough to know. _There’s something wrong with him, he’s not himself_ , thought Hinata as his heart started to pound fast. His eyes were dull, as if Oikawa wasn’t in his body anymore.

It only got worse, as Nekoma won the second set with just two point of advantage. Oikawa seemed to get more aggressive as time passed. It had become a game of power, rather than strategy.

« Iwa-chan! » shouted Oikawa as he tossed the ball right in the palm of Seijoh’s ace.

The boy had spiked the ball on the other side of the court. Nekoma’s setter had tried to stop it, but found himself on the ground.

« Iwa-chan, MOU IPPON! » had yelled Oikawa as if he were the one suffering the offensive. He was totally unsatisfied and disappointed.

« Shittykawa, I didn’t say anything until now, because I thought you had it under control, but you clearly aren’t. » said Iwaizumi as he leant forward, near his ear. « I don’t know what’s wrong but get your shit together. »

Hinata swallowed in fear. Even with that great distance between them, Iwaizumi was frightening. A dark and dreadful aura surrounded him. He was oozing bloodlust. Even Oikawa seemed to notice and instantly changed.

The game resumed without other turmoil. It was clear that no one had given up yet; no one was willing to give victory away. For every spike, there was a bump, a chance ball, a block. Even Kunimi seemed personally involved in the game. He blocked and run to catch the ball, as if his life depended on it, after being quite for the majority of the game. _That’s very typical of him, though_ , thought Hinata remembering their game. Kunimi was the type to cherish his strengths only to leash them all out in the time of greatest need.

On the other hand, Nekoma’s team had kept his cool the entire game. It was clear they were more experienced and better assembled. They played as they always did; they defended their ground and took points steadily, one after the other, without rushing.

That’s how they ended up past the point set; both the teams suffered points, but got back on their feet and caught up.

Hinata looked at the notice scoreboard, it said: “Nekoma 38 [3] Aobajohsai 37”. At that point, after a great match like that, he couldn’t bring himself to cheer for only one team. Even if Seijoh had defeated them, they had put a marvelous offensive.

Kuroo had spiked the ball to the other side of the net, but he got blocked from Oikawa and Matsukawa.

« Chance ball! » had yelled Kunimi, as he bumped it over Oikawa’s head.

The ball landed right on his fingertips and he tossed it. It was a splendid toss; it screamed “Please, be there”.

« IWA-CHAN, IKE2~! » yelled Oikawa in desperation.

Iwaizumi was already there, with the ball right in his right palm. He smashed it with all his strengths. It had left his palm. There was a huge noise, but when he realized, it was already too late. Iwaizumi looked right before his eyes; Kuroo was standing in front of him from the other side of the net. He looked pleased. He looked back and saw the ball. The ball was standing on the ground. On the ground of his court.

Hinata was shocked as much as he was. He was sure his spike would land. Kuroo had been on the other side of the court, but in a few seconds was right before Iwaizumi, blocking him. He couldn’t believe it and he was sure, neither could Iwaizumi, or Oikawa, who looked really awful.

Oikawa was frozen on the exact spot he had tossed the ball, looking at Iwaizumi with a horrified gaze. He didn’t speak, he didn’t move. It was like he had been petrified.

« We … We need to get in line. » had said Iwaizumi keeping his head down. He couldn’t even look at him.

They moved mechanically, but none of them could speak. It was a hard defeat to digest; they all had played splendidly. No mistake was made. It had been just bad luck.

« Arigato gozaimasu!3 »

They all returned to their bench and gather around the coaches. Coach Nekomata was among Seijoh’s players. Hinata could hear him cheering them up.

« Rise your heads. You played beautifully, you fought tenaciously and that’s what matter the most. » had said Nekomata calmly. « Not many teams can boast such talented first years. You should really take this as an opportunity to learn and grow, because you have all the potential to be a great team. » had added in the end.

Hinata smiled and silently got out from the gym, giving the teams the time to shower and change. He leant on the wall of the hall, pulling the phone out of the pocket.

**Whatsapp** , **Karasuno Volleyball Club** group chat.

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “It’s over. Nekoma won. ♥”

 **Sawamura Daichi** : “That’s good news. Be careful on the way. We’re all here.”

« What the hell are you even doing here, Shrimp ? » hissed a raspy voice behind him.

« T-Turnip Head! » had jumped Hinata scared, when he turned to see.

Kunimi, besides Kindaichi, and the rest of Seijoh’s members laughed a little.

« I was invited by Kuroo. » explained Hinata with his arms crossed at his chest.

« And who’s that ? » had asked one of them. Hinata couldn’t remember the name.

« Nekoma’s captain. » clarified Hinata looking over them to check if some friendly face was coming to his rescue. It wasn’t. It was even worse. Iwaizumi and Oikawa were heading towards him. He looked both sides; there was no escaping. He gulped, sensing the danger. Oikawa only stopped when he got right in front of him.

« Daiō-sama … Are you sick ? » asked Hinata bowing the head on the left and looking at him in the eyes.

« Chibi-chan is worried for my health ? » waved Oikawa with a fake smile. He clearly was putting a brave face there. « Of course not, Chibi-cha — »

« Right, ‘cause you’re just stupid. » stated Hinata strangely calm. « What’s with that awful game you pulled on in the second set ? »

« Excuse me ? » burst out Oikawa looking daggers right at him. He got even closer.

« So, you’re going to deny it ? » asked Hinata staring at him. He didn’t even flinch for a second.

« I didn’t play poorly. » declared Oikawa annoyed.

« Yes, you did. » insisted Hinata.

« Why are you even upset ? » asked the brunette with one hand on his hip. « I didn’t know you were so concerned for my playing, Chibi-chan. »

« Are you kidding me ? How could I not be mad ? » burst out Hinata.

« Wha — »

« Just because we play in different teams, it doesn’t mean I can’t recognize you’re a great player! » clarified Hinata. « You have all I want! You’re tall, you’re smart, you can do all things perfectly and yet you waste your potential like this. »

Oikawa froze on the spot, starting to feel stupid. _Why is he even smiling_ ? thought Hinata scared. The rest of the group just stared at him impressed; it was not like any of those first year would have the guts to scold the captain like that.

« Clearly Scary-kun here didn’t hit you enough, or you wouldn’t smile like this as I scold you. » said Hinata pointing at Iwaizumi, with his eyebrows furrowed. He saw Kunimi covering his mouth with a hand in an attempt to not burst into laughs. « Daiō-sama, if you’ll play this badly against us, I’ll never forgive you. » hissed the red-haired one.

Their conversation got interrupted by a loud chattering. Nekoma’s players were marching towards them.

« KENMA! » rang Hinata over the moon, running with sparkling eyes towards the boy. He jumped and tied his arms around the setter’s neck in a hug.

« Shōyō! » greeted Kenma blushing embarrassed. Hinata was hugging him tightly.

« You were so great! » burst out Hinata in adoration. « What was that feint ? I almost got an heart attack, you know ? »

« It’s good to see you too … » said Kenma shyly smiling and patting him. Then messed with his hair.

« How is it that I invite you and he is the one getting hugged ? » had asked a hoarse voice in front of him.

« Kuroo! » greeted Hinata, knocking off the hug. « But he’s my friend! »

« So I’m not your friend ? » asked Kuroo slyly with a fake sad face. « First you come late, then you completely ignore me. You’re breaking my heart, Chibi-chan. » added the black haired as he walked past him.

Hinata moved and stood in his path. He grabbed a piece of his sweatshirt and clung to it.

« Of course you’re my friend, but it’s different! » said Hinata blushing and looking away extremely embarrassed.

« Different ? How different ? » asked the boy with a captivating low voice. His eyes had a different light now.

« Nothing. Cut it! » blurted Hinata with his eyebrow forrowed. « That’s why I didn’t want to hug you in the first place! You’ll brag about it like … forever! »

« I’m still waiting for that hug, Chibi-chan! » twitted Kuroo with a smug face.

« I hate you! » stated Hinata glaring at him. His cheeks were on fire and he kept staring at his feet for the embarrassment. He could feel eyes staring at him. _He’s going to get so pissed at me_ , thought Hinata before tying his arms around Kuroo’s waist in a hug. He felt Kuroo’s fingers brushing through his red hair. He couldn’t see Kuroo smirking.

« One word about it and I’ll never speak to you again! » hissed Hinata untying the hug, his cheeks were as red as cherries.

« As my Chibi-chan commands~. » exclaimed Kuroo conceited. « Still, one thing’s missing. »

« So close … » grumbled Hinata in a whisper.

« You said you had a good excuse for being late. » said the black haired one. « I’m waiting to hear all about it, Chibi-chan! »

« Well, do you want to hear the good or the bad news first ? » asked Hinata, noticing that people had gathered around them.

« I’ll go with the good news first. » said Kuroo with one hand on his wrist.

« The good news is that I took care of it and everything is going to be fine. » said Hinata putting a brave face while confronting Kuroo’s menacing glare.

« And the bad news ? » asked Nekoma’s captain impatient.

« The summer storm caused a landslide on the railway network, so you’re stuck here. » explained Hinata embarrassed.

« What ? » asked a soft voice. Coach Nekomata had heard all of it.

« I can explain! » said Hinata terrified. « At first, I thought you were involved, but clearly you aren’t, cause you’re safe and sound. Anyway, after you got here, there was a landslide on the railway and on the radio, they were telling that there have been other on the way to Tokyo. So, there’s no way you can get back today. » added Hinata impatiently.

« You said you had it all under control. » said Kuroo studying him.

« Of course I have. I’ve been working on it all morning, you know ? » blurted Hinata. « I’ve already spoken with everyone on the team. Our manager went to the train station and asked for the possibility of a total refund. They gave her a form to compile. Takeda-sensei and Coach Ukai spoke with the vice-principal for a bus ride; I’m sure that with the refund there would be plenty for the gasoline. Of course you would set off tomorrow, the streets aren’t safe right now and things are still getting sorted out. My teammates and me have prepared some food for lunch, so we’re going to eat at Karasuno, then everyone will go home. »

« Go home where ? » asked Yamamoto anxious.

« Our home, of course. Everyone on the team who’s currently in town has agreed to host you … Here’s the list. » explained Hinata, giving the list of pairs to coach Nekomata.

« - Coach Ukai/Coach Nekomata,

\- Takeda-sensei/Coach Naoi,

\- Daichi-san/Shibayama,

\- Suga-san/Yaku

\- Asahi-san/Kai,

\- Nishinoya-senpai/Inuoka,

\- Tanaka-senpai/Yamamoto,

\- Ennoshita-san/Teshiro,

\- Kinoshita-san/Fukunaga,

\- Narita-san/Haiba »

« Ahah! I get to stay with Tanaka-san! That’s going to be a blast! » burst Yamamoto over the moon. He was getting fired up by the news.

« He kind of requested you, so I’m sure you’ll have a good day. » explained Hinata with a shy smile.

« Tanaka-san! My friend! » cried out Yamamoto tearing up for the joy.

« Hey! Kenma and me … We haven’t been called! » stated Kuroo looking serious. « Who are we ? Stray cats ? »

« Ah, right! » said Hinata with a smirk. « You’re both sleeping at my house, but if you keep that smug attitude of yours, Kuroo, you’ll sleep at the feet of my bed, like a real cat. » had joked Hinata sticking his tongue out.

He lifted his gaze for just one moment and crossed a death glare. _My life is over_ , thought Hinata frightened.

« Heard that Kuroo ? Stop pestering my baby crow, or you will get sent to bed without supper! » joked Kenma putting an arm over Hinata’s shoulders, smirking at him.

Hinata’s heart was pounding faster and he felt nausea conquering every inch of his body. His feet were trembling. He could feel Oikawa’s eyes on him. He didn’t dare to look up. _That’s it, I’m fucked_ , thought Hinata gulping.

* * *

1) "Mou-ippon", means "one more point" in japanese.

2) "Ike", means "Go!" in japanese.

3) "Arigato gozaimasu", means "Thank you" in japanese.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, things got interesting.  
> Kuroo and Kenma are going to sleep at Hinata's house, while a totally defeated Oikawa is left alone with his misery.  
> Did you like it ? I hope it wasn't that bad. I'm not a volleyball player, so I really struggled to describe the game.
> 
> Let me know what you think! I hope I didn't disappoint you with this chapter!


	5. The Captain's Blues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter covers Oikawa's aftermath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to apologize to all my dear readers for the huge delay. I'm so sorry for making you wait this much, but my ex keeps torturing me and I really had a bad time. I tried to focus, but it was so bad that I'm starting to have panic attacks and there are days that I can't bring myself to eat or to do things.  
> I did my best, so I hope you'll enjoy the chapter.  
> I intended to make a Oikawa and Kuroo pov chapter, but I found out that it would be like 20 pages in words and it would be a mess. So I splitted it in two. The next one will be a Kuroo's pov. <3

Chibi-chan’s secret

The Captain’s Blues

— Chapter #4 —

Oikawa Tōru

The rain fell lightly and shattered in soft pops on the turquoise surface of the sad boy’s umbrella. The lad’s feet moved slowly, independently, and dragged the slender figure down the street. The left hand was abandoned in the jacket’s pocket, while the right one held the umbrella. His eyes were dull, his gaze had lost his warmth; he was nothing more than a mere shadow of himself.

The rain had washed away all the colors around him; all had become grayer, duller and eventually it all had disappeared. A car whooshed past over a puddle and water splattered all over his trousers, but he was so absorbed in his own thoughts, that he didn’t even notice.

He just carried on, walking slowly, while the headphones injected a bittersweet song in his ears. The sweet melody cradled him, sheltering him from that grey world, but the soft voice pierced his heart. He turned right, passed by his favorite bakery, but even the gentle sweet scent of freshly baked milk bread couldn’t awake him from his thoughts.

« Tōru-kun! » said all of a sudden a sweet and soft voice, which belonged to an old chubby woman. She shook him, awakening him. Oikawa turned around and looked at her. Wrinkles furrowed her face, but her sweet eyes made the woman glow. The hair was organized in a neat chignon. She wore a pink apron. It was all covered in flour.

« Obachan! » murmured Oikawa with a low voice, as he took off the earplugs. « I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you! »

« I thought you would come for the usual Sunday morning sweet snack. » twitted the woman patting him on the head.

« I had a practice match this morning, but I would have loved to come by. » explained the chocolate haired boy. « Your milk bread is the best in town. » added the boy politely with a genuine smile.

« Tōru-kun, stop wooing this old woman! » protested the woman in a sweet laugh. « That sad face tells me all. » said the woman after taking a good look on him. She turned on her low chunky heels and vanished in the shop.

The sweet scent of freshly baked bread announced her return as she opened the door and marched victorious towards him. She held a paper bag in her hands.

« Let this old woman treat you with your favorite sweets. » said the woman gently, offering him the bag. « Whatever is making you sad, don’t let it bring you down. » added, before bidding her regards, as customers entered her shop.

_She sure knows how to cheer me up_ , thought Oikawa as he walked down the street. Since he was a kid, he had a great esteem of the woman. They had met by chance. He was bouncing the ball from his hands up in the air, but a sudden car horn had scared him. The ball ended on the woman’s feet, as she was watering her plants.

« And who are you ? » had said the woman gently.

« M-my name is Oikawa. Oikawa Tōru. » had replied with a smile. The woman had introduced herself as Suzuki Akiko. Oikawa had greeted her with a sweet “Akiko-sama”, making her laugh, but with times it just got Obachan.

« You shouldn’t play with the ball so close to the street. It’s dangerous. » had explained the woman softly, lowering at his height. He had nodded, regretful for the inconvenience.

« I wanted to play with Iwa-chan, but he’s always visiting his grandma on Sunday. » had explained the mini Oikawa.

« Who’s that ? A friend of yours ? » had asked the woman, cutting some old dry branches.

« Yes! He’s great! » had rang Oikawa, his eyes sparkled. « He can play really well, but I still find hard to catch the ball. »

« So you wanted to practice. » had said the woman with a sweet smile. The boy had nodded again. « I’m too old for playing with you, but I can offer you a deal. »

« What ? » had asked Oikawa.

« My son was obsessed with volleyball, he recorded all the powerful teams’ matches. » had explained the woman, entering the shop, followed by him. « My husband recently passed away. You could keep me company and we could watch those games together with some milk bread. »

The kid had looked at her as if an angel had appeared. He had accepted in a heartbeat and that is how started a beautiful friendship. The next day he had brought his mother, just to taste that milk bread once again.

_If only I could go back to those days_ , thought Oikawa opening his house door. He took off his shoes in the genkan and walked straight to the living room. He had laid down his bags on the chair and let himself fall on the couch. His face sank in the pillow.

_I can’t show up at school ever again_ , thought the brunette clinging to the pillow with his hands. The thought of the news of his demised spreading all around school made him sick. It had been like a punch in the stomach. _I need to change school. Yeah, that’s a good idea. What other schools are here ? Shiratorizawa ? Hell no, I won’t ever give that prat what he wants. Karasuno ? Me ? Public school ? Ew, no wa — I’ll even have to leave the prefecture_ , thought at all speed, making himself panicking.

« So, I take this overdramatic entrance as the fact that things didn’t exactly go according to plan. » exclaimed Hanae, standing right behind him with a hand on her hip and a “I-raised-such-a-Drama-Queen” kind of face.

« Are you here to gloat, mother ? » grumbled the sad boy, his voice muffled by the pillow. « Don’t you dare say those awful words to me! » whined the brunette.

« Which words ?» asked the woman twisting the knife in the wound.

« You know which ones! » whined again, pointing at her, without turning his head towards her. « You’re a witch. You put this evil on me! »

The woman rolled her eyes and stared at him annoyed. She was already fed up by his ranting.

« If I were a witch, I would fly far away with my magic broomstick right now. » commented sarcastically the woman with an arched eyebrow. « Go change. Lunch is ready. »

« I’m not hungry ... » muttered the boy upset.

« Oikawa Tōru. » hissed the woman.

A dreadful aura surrounded her; he could feel it. He got up and flew upstairs to his room. He changed his clothes as fast as he could and got back downstairs. She was setting food on the table; he saw two bowls filled with ramen, two little bowls with rice and a huge plate with tempura and fried chicken. His favorites. _These women … Do they want to make me cry_ ? thought Oikawa as he sat down at the table, not daring to say another word.

They started to eat in silence. However, he could feel her gaze all over himself. He had taken a peek on the woman, just to check if she was still mad at him. She didn’t ask, she didn’t speak at all. She was just there with a tender look. He fixed his eyes on the table, gently grabbed the chopsticks and began with the ramen. He let his warmth cuddle him and felt all his walls crumble. Tears streamed down his furrowed face and his left hand was clenched so tightly in a fist that his knuckles were white as snow. He snuffled a few times but kept eating his meal. He never looked up again; not even once.

« You were right. » whispered Oikawa without looking at her. It was already too hard to admit that much, it would have been too painful to even see her sorry look.

« Was it that bad ? » asked the woman moving the plate full of tempura and fried chicken near the brunette.

« We got to third set. » explained Oikawa with a low voice. « We could have won in the second, if I had kept my cool. »

« You weren’t in the right mindset. » said Hanae with a small smile. « Next time will be better. »

After that, silence fell once again. He brushed away the tears with one sleeve and passed to the rice. Every bite was harder to swallow. He still couldn’t believe how things turned that morning. The sound of the ball being blocked echoed in his head. Kuroo’s smirking face popped in his mind. Then Kageyama’s and finally even Ushijima’s. His stomach squeezed and his chest burnt. His eyes stung and tears threatened to come out again. He breathed in deeply and sent them back with all his strengths. He was tired of losing. He hated feeling so weak and helpless.

« So, now you can tell me all about Shōyō-kun. » said his mother with a smirk on her face.

Now he understood where he got that from. _Shōyō-kun_ … echoed in his mind; his body stiffened on the spot and his fingers clung on the chopsticks in his right hand. Remembering the whole scene made him nauseous. _Is this woman a sadist ?_ thought Oikawa sulky.

« Oh my, I must have hit a sore spot, if you’re making such a vexed face. » added the woman surprised. It wasn’t like him to be that hurt.

Oikawa looked up straight at her, staring for a moment. She wasn’t backing off; on the contrary, that seemed to fuel her curiosity even more. There was no way he could avoid that conversation and that bothered him.

« What about him ? » asked Oikawa playing dumb. He wasn’t going to make that woman mistreat him with meddling.

« He was particularly impatient about this match, did he have a good time ? » asked the woman scrutinizing him. She sure didn’t want to miss anything about it.

« He surely did. » muttered Oikawa as a frightening aura oozed from him.

« Okay, I’m not going to force you … » said Hanae with a loving smile. « I’ll just ask Iwa-chan the next time he’ll visit. »

After hearing her first phrase, he had relaxed, letting his guard down. That’s how the last thing she said struck him so much. _NO. She can’t ask Iwa-chan about this_ , thought Oikawa terrified only by imagining the consequences. There was a great chance that Iwaizumi didn’t realize why he was so weird that morning and he didn’t want him to know why he had messed up. _He can’t know that I couldn’t play because I kept thinking about him. He would beat the crap out of me_ , thought again Oikawa this time terrorized.

« That was a really low blow, mom. » grumbled Oikawa annoyed.

« So, tell me about Shōyō-kun. » rang his mother with a big smile.

_Why does she even care so much ?_ thought Oikawa staring at her. He couldn’t understand why she was so interested in the boy that much. She knew they met just recently and that they weren’t so close after all.

« He came late, it was when we won the first set. » enounced the brunette trying to remain as calm as possible. « He sat on the other’s team side, so I don’t know what they were talking about. » added Oikawa rolling his eyes vexed.

« They invited him, what did you expect ? » asked the woman starting to clear the table.

He ignored that comment and looked at the dessert; mochi. He really liked those; they were sweet and delicious.

« After the game he even had the nerves to scold me, telling me that I’m a great player and that I’m wasting my potential, then left me like a plebeian and jumped on Puddinghead-kun, hugging him and staring at him in adoration, as if he were Kami-sama. » explained the chocolate-haired boy getting even more annoyed as words came out of his mouth. « And if it wasn’t bad enough, the captain got there teasing him and making stupid Chibi-chan hug him. » explained Oikawa in detail, hoping that it would satisfy her curiosity and that she wouldn’t ask Iwa-chan for details.

She started to eat her dessert in silence, thinking about what he had just told her. He ate his mochi, letting annoyed comments here and there.

« And they even get to sleep over at his house, thanks to the landslide. » finished the chocolate haired boy grumpily.

_Kami-sama, you had one job. Why didn’t you let a rock fall on Kuroo’s stupid head ? That wasn’t so difficult_ , thought Oikawa staring at the table with a sad face. He had started to tap on the table without even realizing it. Whatever she was going to say, he was certain he wouldn’t like it and that made him even more anxious.

« You like him. » stated at last his mother looking at him with a tender look. « And you’re jealous. »

« It’s not true! » burst Oikawa with furrowed eyebrows. « I just don’t like being treated like a peasant. »

He was totally in denial. _This woman really makes no sense_ , thought Oikawa brooding over her words. He just sat there looking at his mother as if she had said something horrible. _He’s my toy, of course I don’t like that people rob me of my things_ , thought Oikawa trying to make sense of what she said.

« Tōru, there’s nothing wrong in caring about one’s own friends. » said the woman with a soft voice. « You’re just sulking because you didn’t get all his attention. »

The brunette looked up straight at her with an offended face, biting his tongue. She got a bull’s eye, exposing all of his flaws. It was like being stripped naked.

« No more sharp comments now ? I guess it’s time for the sullen silences. » had laughed the woman. She knew him well and that’s what annoyed him the most. There was just no way to escape her.

_This woman knows no mercy_ , thought Oikawa dismayed. He laid his head on the table, avoiding looking at her. He then closed his eyes and tried to regain some composure. His heart was beating fast and blood was pumping hard in his temporal veins.

« Why are you so defeated ? You’re the one with the advantage anyway. » laughed the woman while she cleaned the dishes.

« And how is that ? » asked Oikawa getting his head up a little and finally looked at her. She knew how to get his attention. He gave her that.

« You’re smart enough to get that. » exclaimed the woman with a smirk. « In less than a month you’ll be an adult, I can’t spoon-feed you forever. »

« I changed my mind. » hissed the chocolate-haired boy. « You’re not a witch, you’re the Evil Queen. » grumbled the boy getting up and marching to his room morosely, taking the paper bag full of milk bread and the red package with him.

His room was exactly how he had left it; clean and tidied up. Oikawa grabbed his notebook and climbed up on his bed. He turned it on and put one of his favorite movies on. It was Breakfast at Tiffany’s. He always watched it when he was upset. He found Audrey Hepburn, his muse, calming. He opened the red package and unwrapped the little chocolate ball, before eating it.

As Audrey started to sing Moon River, tears streamed down his pretty face once again. Everything seemed so hard and far of his reach, despite all his efforts. He turned off the notebook and hugged Usagi-chan, his bunny stuffed animal, and buried his face on it to stifle his sobs. _It’s not fair_ , thought Oikawa angry _. I train and study as hard as anyone else, why is it never enough ?_ asked himself as he felt his chest burn and his throat sting. _Is there still a sense in all of this ?_ His thoughts had taken over him and all he could do was cry and squeeze the puppet in his arms.

It ached so much. He couldn’t breathe, his eyes burnt, his throat was sore, and a heavy weight crushed his chest. He remembered Hinata’s smile and sparkling eyes as he jumped and tied his arms around the setter’s neck, how he blushed as he spoke with Nekoma’s captain, clinging to his sweatshirt, just before hugging him shyly. He could remember Kuroo smirking as he combed the little crow’s hair. That felt like a knife through his heart.

_You like him and you’re jealous_ , he remembered his mother’s words.

But was it really as she said ? Did he really like him ? He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply to stop all those thoughts that run in his head. _What does even mean “you like him” ?_ asked himself trying to make sense of those words. _Like him as in liking a friend or ?_ thought the brunette blushing violently. His cheeks were crimson red and hot as hell. He buried his face even more in the stuffed animal. _You were right again_ , thought Oikawa thinking about his mother’s words. _I guess there’s no point in denying it anymore_.

The hard game and the heavy weight of all those thoughts struck him hard and made him fall asleep from exhaustion.

Iwaizumi Hajime

He found himself wandering around the city like a lost soul. It had all begun after the after-match meeting. Oikawa had left without a word with a sad face. It wasn’t like him to just fall in silence for the entire meeting and just go away without even say goodbye or some words of encouragement. He had tried not to look too deep into it, but as he finished his meal, he had brushed his teeth, got dressed and left his house in a heartbeat.

At first, he had checked Oikawa’s favorite place in the city’s outskirt. It was a red bench on a little hill with a huge cherry tree. From there one could enjoy the entire city’s view. _If you’re not here sulking, it must be really serious_ , had thought Iwaizumi sighing.

Then he had checked the setter’s favorite café, but he wasn’t there. He decided to order a tea and sit down. _It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have ignored him like that_ , had thought Iwaizumi as he sipped the cold peach tea. _So you’re hiding home, huh ?_ thought the handsome boy finishing his drink.

Ha had crossed the entire town and that’s how he ended up in front of Obachan’s bakery. He got inside and waited for the woman to appear.

« Iwa-chan, that’s a nice surprise! » rang the chubby woman, passing the counter and to hug him. « I guess you’re here for Tōru-kun. » added with a tender smile.

« Yeah, we lost a match and he left without a word. » explained Iwaizumi sighing.

« I see, so that’s why he was so depressed! » exclaimed the woman.

« You saw him! » rang Iwaizumi with his eyes wide opened.

« It was just before lunch. » she recalled. « He didn’t even realize I was calling him when he passed! »

« What’s with him, honestly … » grumbled Iwaizumi irked.

He then looked at the bread, considering bringing him some.

« Oh, don’t worry, I sent him home with a full bag. » laughed the woman.

They said their goodbye and Iwaizumi marched straight at his friend’s house. He rang the door and was welcomed by Oikawa’s mother, Hanae.

« You’re spoiling him, Iwa-chan. » said the woman, letting him inside the house.

She was in good shape and presentable as always. Her hair was combed in a high chignon and her skin looked soft and clean. The house was also very clean and tidy. She had offered him some fresh fruit and he had accepted it.

« I heard that you guys had a bad day. » said Hanae sitting in front of him.

« Yes, we lost the match, but it wasn’t so bad. » explained Iwaizumi not fully convinced of that. « I mean, I’m sad that we lost, but it was a good game after all. It was with a really strong team and I’m sure we will learn something from this. »

« I’m sure of it! » said the woman.

« Something was off with him, though. » said Iwaizumi out loud, even if he was only thinking it.

« Yes, he was very distracted. » threw there the woman. « Summer must have brought him a crush or something. » laughed Hanae.

« What ? » asked Iwaizumi swallowing the fruit. « But Yuki-chan has just dumped him! »

« Maybe that’s exactly why. » laughed the woman again. « I don’t think he has realized it yet, though. »

« Where is he ? I’m going to give him a good beating! » burst Iwaizumi outraged.

« He watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s, then had a good cry and eventually fell asleep. » explained Hanae looking at the stairs.

« Breakfast at Tiffany’s ? Is it really that bad ? » asked Iwaizumi getting up and thanking her for the fruit.

_I swear, I’m going to kill this brat one day or the other_ , thought Iwaizumi getting upstairs. He had opened Oikawa’s bedroom door and got inside. He was about to yell at him, but he stopped before he could do anything.

His eyes were on him. He was crouched on his bed under a huge blanket, hugging Usagi-chan and other stuff, with his face buried in the stuffed animal. He looked so vulnerable and undefended. He felt his inwards twist and guilt taking over every inch of his body. _So, you still have it_ , thought Iwaizumi looking at the plush bunny that he had gave him as a present when they still were children. It was the first present he bought for Oikawa.

He got closer and looked at him. _Even if you try so hard to look cool and careless, you’re still the sweet boy I met ages ago_ , thought Iwaizumi with a tender smile, combing gently his hair. He then got to the window and opened the roller shutter to let the light come in.

« Shittykawa, wake up! » said Iwaizumi as if he didn’t soften him with his helplessness.

The brunette didn’t give a sign of awakening, so Iwaizumi started to shake him until he woke up.

« Don’t want to. » protested Oikawa hugging the bunny even more.

« I came here just for you, you know ? » said Iwaizumi with his arms crossed at his chest.

« But the universe hates me, Iwa-chan~. » mumbled the chocolate haired boy with his voice muffled by the stuffed animal.

« I’m failing to see how this is a news. » said Iwaizumi bored.

« I don’t want to talk to you. You’re so mean Iwa-chan! » grumbled Oikawa hiding under the blanket.

« ‘kaay, maybe this last one was too harsh even for me. » admitted Iwaizumi with a sorry face. However, Oikawa refused to show up and get out of bed. « Come on, get up … And what’s that ? » said the boy, pulling the blanket away from his head and pointing to the red package.

« Lindt & Sprüngli, my only friends in the whole world. » whispered Oikawa with a drowsy voice, hugging the Lindor’s package even more.

Iwaizumi sighed and stared at him with a “Who-am-I-?-The-next-door-neighbor-?” kind of look. _This is so annoying_ , thought the dark-haired boy reaching the limits of his patience.

« So, what happened to make you so upset ? » asked Iwaizumi sitting next to him, as he still refused to come out of the bed.

« I have been robbed! » whined Oikawa peeking at him.

Now that he had the chance to look at him so near, he could see how his eyes had become swollen and red. _She wasn’t kidding, he had really cried a lot_ , thought Iwaizumi feeling his inwards twisting and squeezing again. He didn’t like to see him like that.

« What did they steal ? » asked Iwaizumi playing his game.

« My life has been stolen from me. » whimpered the brunette burying his face in the stuffed animal again.

« We lost a practice match, not the finals, you know ? » said the dark-haired one trying to make him reason. « And they were national level. »

« I couldn’t focus, I messed up so much. » grumbled Oikawa ashamed. « If I can’t do that, I might as well give up on volleyball. »

Iwaizumi couldn’t hold back anymore. He smacked him on his head. It was too much even for him, he never accepted him having such an inferior complex whenever he felt weak. He didn’t want to hear him saying he wasn’t a good player, because he was. He was a great player. How could even that Karasuno’s first year see and admit that, but he couldn’t ? It was beyond him.

« It hurts, Iwa-chan! » complained Oikawa with one hand massaging his nape.

« So, what about me ? I messed up just as much as you did! » burst Iwaizumi annoyed. « How many of my spikes got blocked ? »

« You’re a great player, Iwa-chan, it’s my fault that you got blocked. » declared Oikawa sitting on the bed.

« Our defense was still too weak; Kindaichi and Kunimi have to improve. » explained Iwaizumi vexed. « I already told you, the team with the six strongest player is the one to win, but you’re still thinking that all depends on you. I’m tired of this shit, I’m leaving. »

Iwaizumi got up and marched towards the door. He was reaching the door’s handle, but he got stopped by Oikawa, who had jumped out of the bed and rushed to him. His arms were around his waist from behind and his face was buried in his neck.

« Wait … » whispered Oikawa with a low voice. « I’m sorry, Iwa-chan. »

He turned around and looked straight at him. The brunette’s head was low, and he kept torturing the hem of his sleeve. _That’s not fair_ , thought Iwaizumi. He put his fingers under Oikawa’s chin and raised his head.

« No more crying. » said the tall boy with a firm voice. « I forbid you, Stupidkawa. » added with a fake grumpy face and a gently stroke on his shoulder.

The brunette nodded and smiled at him with a sweet genuine smile.

« Get dressed. » said Iwaizumi sitting again on the bed. He grabbed the stuffed animal and started to play with it.

« Why ? » asked Oikawa as he started to change.

« We’re going to Antonio’s for dinner. » explained Iwaizumi without even looking at him. « You still have it. » laughed at last.

« What ? » asked Oikawa turning around shirtless. « Of course, I still have Usagi-chan! It was your first present, how could I throw it away ? Honestly … »

Iwaizumi smiled. _So, he remembers_ , thought the handsome boy holding the stuffed bunny in his hands. Oikawa finished to dress and they got out. As they walked outside the house, the brunette acted as if all his Drama Queen theatrical act didn’t even happen. He acted silly and careless as he was used to.

« You’re so good to me, Iwa-chan! » rang Oikawa squeezing him in his arms.

« I recall you saying that I was mean just a bunch of minutes ago. » replied sharply Iwaizumi, breaking free from his hug.

« I was upset! » complained the brunette with a pout.

« You’re such a drama queen. » laughed Iwaizumi getting inside the restaurant. « No wonder Yuki-chan dumped your overdramatic ass. »

« I still don’t get why she left me. » said Oikawa honestly.

That was a surprise. He had teased him with that hoping to know more of his crush, but he didn’t take the bait.

« Because you’re trash. » joked Iwaizumi.

« I’m not! You’re being so mean, Iwa-chan~. » replied Oikawa sitting at the table and looking at the menu.

« Yes, excuse me, you’re not trash, you just act trash. » rectified Iwaizumi sitting in front of him.

« I can’t argue with that. » said Oikawa scratching lightly his head.

They placed their orders; Iwaizumi chose escalope with champignon mushrooms and grilled vegetables, and Oikawa picked a four-cheese pizza. They could hear Antonio talking loudly with his Italian accent even from there.

« So, what did you want to talk about this morning ? » asked Iwaizumi point-blank.

He saw Oikawa’s eyes widen and looked at him as if he saw a ghost. Iwaizumi looked around confused.

« Y-you weren’t so interested this morning! » grumbled Oikawa in an attempt to change the subject.

« It was six o’clock, I was asleep! » replied Iwaizumi with furrowed eyebrows. « And you didn’t answer my question. »

« It’s … It’s … Nothing. Forget it. » said Oikawa looking away and staring at the table extremely embarrassed.

« You can tell me anything, I won’t judge you, you know that, right ? » asked Iwaizumi to make sure.

« I know. » replied Oikawa with a low voice, smiling a little.

_Damn, he was opening up about it and I dismiss it like I didn’t care at all, I’m an idiot_ , thought Iwaizumi as guilt grew inside him. Now that he knew what was wrong with him, he could notice so many new things of him. First, he avoided the subject at all cost. He had never hid his crush or his relationships before, on the contrary, he was the type to tell him all about it. Then, he started to look very distracted. He looked as if he wasn’t really there with his mind. Last, he started to be clumsy and insecure.

Throughout all dinner, he had tried to reach for his phone on the table, but as soon as he was about to touch it, he retracted his hand, looking anxiously, as if he wanted to do something, but something was stopping him.

When he actually made it and had it in his hands, he had to breathe in deeply and stared at the phone for a couple of minutes, typing something and canceling it, just to rewrite all over again. He sent a text and then abandoned the phone on the table. He had tried hard not to look at it, but he could sense is foot tapping on the ground as if he was being impatient.

_She wasn’t joking_ , thought Iwaizumi in disbelief. _How could I not notice it before ? Can I still call myself his friend ?_ asked Iwaizumi to himself as he watched his friend being awkward. He couldn’t believe he missed that. He always noticed every little change in him, but he had missed the whole thing. Oikawa seemed to care a lot about it and right when he was ready to talk about the problem, he had slammed the door in his face. He felt a sharp pain in his chest.

« So, how’s your crush doing ? » said Iwaizumi quickly.

« Surely better than I am. » replied Oikawa without realizing it.

When awareness struck him, it was already too late. Iwaizumi saw panic taking all over him. His eyes were wide open, and he kept scratching his arm. He looked away.

« That woman. » was all he said in reply. He was annoyed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, as you can see, Oikawa took it pretty badly, but thanks to his saint mother, he has started to accept his feelings.  
> Iwa-chan is the ultimate MVP. I just love him.   
> What do you think about this chapter ? Did you like it ? What was the part that you liked the most ?
> 
> See you soon with the Kuroo's pov chapter! <3


	6. The Sleepover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo's POV right after the Nekoma vs Aobajohsai practice match.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> I'm finally able to publish this chapter. i struggle a little to enter in Kuroo's mind, but after the initial struggle, I really felt good writing from his perspective.  
> I hope you'll enjoy it.  
> I want to apologize for the wait, but as you know, I'm having a situation with my ex boyfriend and this is really hurting me.  
> I try not to think about it too much, but it still makes me feel bad.

Chibi-chan’s secret

The Sleepover

— Chapter #5 —

Kuroo Tetsurō

_How far is this place anyway ?_ thought the black-haired boy as he marched slowly, one step after the other. The rain fell lightly, crashing and shattering on the red fabric of his umbrella; the little quick pops kept him company as he spaced out again. He had been like that since the little crow gave in to his request. He had teased him just for fun, but it had completely backfired. He had expected a grumpy face or seeing him squirm trying to get out of that embarrassing situation, but he had hugged him with the most innocent look on his face. He could still smell his scent on his sweatshirt.

_This is getting far more interesting than I thought it would_ , thought Kuroo pleased. He couldn’t hide the little grin that rose on his face. That thought made him remember the very reason he had invited Hinata to the practice match.

It had been the day before. They were playing a new videogame at Kenma’s house when the setter’s mother came in to check if he had prepared the bag for the trip. He obviously didn’t, as he had been too lazy to do it the minute he was asked to. He had paused the game and started to put together everything he would need. Suddenly, he had frozen in the middle of the room with an absorbed gaze.

« Miyagi prefecture, huh ? » had eventually said the youngest one. « I bet he’s training like hell, doing crazy stuff. »

« Who ? » had asked the black-haired one with an arched eyebrow.

« Shōyō … » had replied the fake blond one. « Karasuno’s little crow. » had needed to add, as Kuroo looked confused.

« You’re already calling him by his first name, without honorific … That’s so not like you at all. » had teased Kuroo crossing his arms at his chest. « He really must be interesting to get that from you. Even I couldn’t, since you’re still calling me Kuroo after all this time. »

« Your teasing is getting old, you’re so predictable. » had fired back the little one with a bored expression, then stuck out his tongue with a sly gaze.

« Still, you’re interested. » had replied Kuroo sitting on the setter’s bed.

« Not particularly … » had denied the evidence the quiet boy, dismissing the matter as he got back at his task.

« Is that so ? » had asked Kuroo with a smirk on his face. « I recall you chatting with him almost every evening. » had added with a grin. Now it was his turn to stick out his tongue.

Kenma had blushed violently on the spot, looking away. Kuroo had hit the bull’s eye.

« Interested in hearing what I think ? » had asked Kuroo letting himself fall on the bad, laying on his back.

The blonde had shrugged his shoulders and kept packing.

« I’m sure you’re worried about what I would think about it. » had explained Kuroo drumming his fingers on his belly, ignoring his silence. « I bet you’re thinking something like “Perhaps, if Shōyō and I became good friends, Kuroo might suffer”, right ? »

« Well, I guess … » had admitted in a soft whisper Kenma with a sneak peek.

« I don’t recall to have ever demanded of you to be my exclusive friend, you know ? » had started Kuroo slightly irked. « Besides, you already have other friends. »

« But they are _our_ friends. » had replied the short one without looking at him.

« So what ? It’s not as if he can’t be _our_ friend too. » had exclaimed Kuroo leaning on his elbows. « You’re not the only one intrigued by Chibi-chan. » had laughed.

The quiet boy had slowly turned around and looked straight at him; it was one of those few times he blatantly showed emotions. His eyes were wide open, and his mouth half closed; he was surprised. He had scrutinized the dark-haired one for a while, trying to figure out what Kuroo could possibly be thinking.

« I bet you’re thinking something mushy. » had shot the cat-eyes boy rolling his eyes. « I’m ready to gamble my whole videogame collection. » had added with a hand on his right hip.

« ‘kay, I’ll admit it! » had replied back Kuroo yielding. « Whenever he appears, your face lights up. »

The cat-eyes boy snorted and glared at him with his sharp gaze. Then, he turned back to his bag, taking the train ticket into his hands. The sharp gaze had vanished. His face was undecipherable; his face muscles were relaxed, his lips were sealed and his eyes disclosed no secret. His thoughts were held in a safe cage. _You had to resort to your infamous poker face, huh ?_ thought Kuroo amused. He didn’t wait for an answer. The black-haired boy got up and took his train ticket out of his sport bag.

« You have your scheming face on. » had stated the little cat boy reading the situation straight away. « I don’t like that. »

Kuroo grabbed the quiet boy’s sleeve and dragged him to himself; with one quick move, he slid his right hand in the setter’s hoodie’s pocket and seized his phone. A flicker of rage and disdain sparkled in the quiet boy’s eyes. It had been enough for him to understand what the black-haired one was scheming. He had rebelled viciously, had put up a glorious fight, but in the end he had lost.

« Kenma, come on, work with me. » had complained Kuroo deleting the picture he had just taken from the setter’s phone. « Smile! » had demanded the boy dragging the short one even more close, who tried his best to look comfortable and excited.

« Kuroo, please … » had pleaded the cat-eyes boy clinging to the elder boy’s black shirt.

« What are you so afraid of ? » had asked Kuroo bringing a lock of Kenma’s dyed hair behind his right ear, looking him with a tender gaze.

« What would he think about it ? We aren’t so close yet … » had murmured Kenma. He looked down, fixing his gaze at the tips of his feet.

« Nonsense! The lad already adores you. » had said Kuroo, giving him back his phone. « Alright, I took the picture, if you really want to see him, let him know we’re coming. »

Kenma took his phone and held it in his hands; it was really a nice picture. _I know you want it, go get it_ , thought Kuroo as he watched the boy staring at the phone. He could see his synapses spread electrical impulses relentlessly. He was analyzing every possibility and thinking of every possible consequences of his actions, what could Hinata think of him, what could he decide to do.

« I don’t know him much yet, but I think he would be hurt to know we were so close, and yet we didn’t say a thing. » had added Kuroo, trying to help him out a bit. « Just saying. »

That seemed to convince him. He let go of the elder boy’s shirt and laid on the bed. Kuroo sit down next to him. The cat eyes stared at the phone for a while; the boy had type something but erased it right after. He stared again at the chat and send the picture without a message.

They didn’t have to wait long for the reply. Hinata had replied right after with an excited text. Kuroo had smiled satisfied. Kenma’s face didn’t betray him, but he could sense his happiness.

« See ? He’s over the moon. » had exclaimed Kuroo gloating.

Kenma had replied back, giving Hinata’s some context. They began to go back and forth with the replies that the conversation just flowed fluently. Hinata had finally asked how long they were going to stay.

« Go on! Invite him to the game! » had said Kuroo with impatience.

« I can’t! » had shot back the younger.

« Well then, guess it’s my duty. » had replied Kuroo solemnly.

He grabbed the phone from Kenma’s hands and started typing, despite the young boy’s rebellion. It was too late, he had sent the infamous invitation.

**Whatsapp**.

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “Of course I’ll come! Tell Kenma I won’t miss it for the world. It’s a promise.”

Kenma had stared at the text for the rest of the evening. A shy smile arose upon his face, betraying all his efforts to pretend he was indifferent. That’s how it had played out.

A sweet giggle brought him back to reality. He looked up; in front of him there were the two of them talking and giggling. Hinata was pushing his bike from the handlebars, while Kenma walked besides him, holding the umbrella in his right hand, as he shielded both from the light raindrops.

They had arrived at Karasuno, as Hinata had secured his bike in a covered bicycle parking stand. They went upstairs and walked straight towards the volleyball gym.

« Daichi-san~! » waved Hinata excited as they approached.

« Great job, Hinata! » exclaimed Sawamura, letting the boy in. « Please, get in! »

They all entered the gym, after taking the wet shoes off. Once they got inside, they were welcomed warmly. Karasuno’s team members had lined up and shouted their welcomes as they bowed. Kuroo took the lead of his team and made them form a line as well and they all thank them for their efforts.

« I know this is all very sudden, but we did all we could, please accept it. » said Takeda-sensei to Coach Nekomata.

« Alright boys, form a line and take a plate. The food’s there, dig in! » instructed Sawamura, inviting them to eat while the food was warm.

They had set the gym up nicely; the ground was covered with mattress and picnic cloths. The food was organized on two table which were placed against the wall.

« Yes, I’ve already spoken with the vice principal. He has agreed with our proposal. » explained Takeda-sensei to Nekoma’s coach. « We’ll depart tomorrow morning. Our manager Shimizu already took the refund form. »

_Seems that Chibi-chan’s plan is working_ , thought Kuroo sighing. He felt his shoulders fell, as he finally managed to relax. He filled his plate with food and checked that Kenma ate properly. He was on the verge of encouraging him to fill his plate a little more, but was anticipated by Hinata, who was scolding him, telling “Go on, if you don’t eat, you won’t have enough energies!”. He couldn’t hide a smile. That little boy was a constant surprise.

That moment of happiness lasted shortly, as Yamamoto and Tanaka loudly reunited. They were even tearing up a bit. He was going to scold his own spiker, but Sawamura’s dreadful aura had been enough to sedate every overexcited member of both teams. Tanaka had whispered something to Yamamoto and the little Karasuno’s libero had settled down quickly and silently.

« Try to rest a bit, I’ll keep them in line. » said Sawamura with an empathetic look.

« You’re really spoiling me now, Daichi-san. » replied Kuroo with a genuine smile. It was really tiring to keep them in check.

Silence fell as everyone finally ate his own meal. Nekoma’s team members dug in voraciously as they had spent all their energy on the previous match against Aobajohsai. They were all exhausted; he could read it on their faces. The chattering resumed as they regained energy from all of that delicious food.

« Are you studying hard, Shōyō ? » asked Kenma out of the blue. « If you don’t pass the exams, you won’t be able to come to Tokyo. » reminded him.

« I am! Yachi-san, our new second manager, and Tsukishima are helping me. » explained Hinata, pointing to the two saint who were making him study.

He could read despair all over his face. It hadn’t been a good idea brining that up, as it ended to sadden the lad.

« Do you like us so much ? » teased Kuroo with a sly smirk.

« I do! » exclaimed Hinata with a child’s innocence. « I really want to play with you. » murmured softly before eating his meat.

« And you were even thinking that we could bother him. » teased Kuroo looking at Kenma with a “I-told-you-so” kind of face.

« Shut up! » shot Kenma, hitting him with his elbow.

« What ? » asked Hinata shocked. « But why ? You’re my friends, of course I’m happy to see you. I’m even more happy that we get to spend more time together. » exclaimed Hinata with a big warm smile.

It melted his heart. He was so pure and innocent that he made his heart skip a beat. He just felt the need to shield him from all the bad stuff in the world and protect him at all cost. It was a feeling that, up until that moment, felt only towards Kenma.

« Oh, right. I almost forgot … » murmured the cat-eyes boy, rummaging his own bag. « Happy Birthday. » exclaimed quietly, handing over a wrapped box.

Hinata’s face lit up immediately and forgot all about his food. He cleaned his hands with a paper tissue and rushed at the little box. His hands were shaking a little from excitement. _So cute_ , thought Kuroo as he watched him with interest.

« This is so cool! » exclaimed the red-haired boy, clinging to his birthday present as if it were the most precious possession in his property. « How did you know ? This is the best present ever. » continued Hinata staring at the gift, then looking at Kenma with adoring eyes. He then jumped at him and hugged the boy tightly, and kept thanking him.

« Oh, you got a birthday gift ? » asked Sugawara with a tender look.

« Hey Hinata! What did you get ? » asked Tanaka curious to see him so excited.

« Kenma gave me special shoe laces. » explained Hinata, showing them off. « They are lock laces, so you don’t need to tie them. So cool, right ? »

« That is so thoughtful! » commented Sugawara approving of the gift.

« You’re spoiling him! » laughed Tanaka.

« Our precious kohai, making such good friendships. » added Nishinoya proud.

« He’s growing up so fast. » exclaimed Tanaka looking at him as if he were his own son.

« Of course I’m friend with him. He’s amazing! » exclaimed Hinata with eyes filled with adoration. « You should have seen him! In that third set you were just mocking them with that dump on the last points. »

« Not really … » said Kenma shyly.

He had been looking around the entire time, worrying about other’s people thoughts about them, but no one looked really annoyed. Karasuno’s members didn’t really paid them attention, as they were accustomed to Hinata’s bubbly personality. As for Nekoma, they were just really happy for him. Hinata was an honest, heart-warming boy, it was the perfect person to pull out Kenma’s best sides.

« And you! My god, you’re agile like a cat! » continued Hinata, addressing now to Kuroo. « But you know no mercy. That last kill block, though. I felt so bad for Iwaizumi-kun, his spike was so beautiful. You could have at the very least spared him that smirk of yours. »

« Well, that dandy boy kept aiming at me mercilessly. He ended up annoying me. » explained Kuroo simply.

« Yeah, what was that for ? » asked sarcastically Kenma annoyed.

« Are they talking about Oikawa-san ? » asked Karasuno’s youngest setter.

He saw Hinata nod, then fall silent and look away. _Chibi-chan, are you hiding something_ ? thought Kuroo scrutinizing him from head to toes. The boy got back to his plate and resumed eating without looking up.

« What did he do ? » asked the boy interested.

_Thank you, Grumpy-kun_ , thought Kuroo pleased. It was not as if he couldn’t ask himself directly, but he sensed it would put Hinata under more pressure and it wasn’t worth it. Or so he thought.

« Well, I can’t say for the first set, as I wasn’t even there. » started Hinata looking at his setter. « But he played really aggressively. I mean, he usually uses his head, but this time he went all out. »

« That’s not like him at all. » said Kageyama with his mouth full.

« Maybe he has lost his mind. » replied Hinata scratching his head lightly. « I mean, it must sting hard to lose for the third time consecutively to Shiratorizawa. I know I would, once it’s plenty enough for me. »

« Don’t even bring that up, Hinata boke! » snorted Kageyama annoyed. « We will beat Seijoh, we will even beat that pompous of Ushijima and go to National. That’s it, you hear me ? »

« Of course, we will! I don’t need you to instruct me, Bakageyama. » yelled back Hinata rolling his eyes.

« You better live up to that, we will be waiting for you. » teased Kuroo with a smirk.

« You just wait. » hissed Hinata boastful with his arms crossed at his chest.

« Oy Hinata, don’t put up fights! » scolded Sawamura with a death glare.

Hinata immediately settled down and got back to his food, looking like someone shot a panda bear. He looked sad and grumpy and Kuroo thought it was the cutest thing ever.

The rest of the afternoon just flowed casually; the food they had been served was delicious. He had particularly appreciated Hinata’s onigiris, but also Sugawara’s karē-raisu and Yachi-chan’s Takoyaki. He didn’t have the courage to taste Tanaka’s and Nishinoya’s dishes.

Kenma stayed by Hinata’s side and chatted with him. _No, it would be more accurate to say that Chibi-chan pushed him into chatting_ , thought Kuroo amused. He wasn’t the only one to notice that, though.

« It’s so rare to see Kenma chatting so casually with someone. » commented Yaku in a whisper, mesmerized by the view. « He’s even calling him by first name only! »

« I know, right ? » laughed Kuroo proud.

As time got by, they started tidying up and cleaning the gym. They would have been in great trouble if they used the facility and left it dirty. Everyone found a task and committed to it. The third years were tidying up mattress and the tables, as they were the heavier things. Second and first years cleaned the gym and tidied up the picnic clothes. The coaches were filling out the refund form and taking care of the trip.

Parents started to show up with their cars. Since the weather was so unstable, they thought it would be best to take them home and prevent them a bad cold. The first ones to go had been Tanaka-kun and Yamamoto and Nishinoya-kun and Inuoka. The gym had found some peace since their departure. Little by little the gym emptied out.

« Oh, that’s my mom! » said Shōyō with a smile.

They thanked the remaining team members and followed the red-haired until the car. The two of them hopped on, but Hinata didn’t. The woman looked at him with a “Here-we-go-again” kind of face.

« You’re not coming ? » asked Kenma lightly embarrassed.

« I’ll follow with the bike. » explained Hinata with a smile. « Besides, there’s no place for everyone, my mom has to get my sister from my aunt’s house. »

« Seems like I can’t convince you, huh ? » asked the woman giving up from the start.

_Yeah, I can see why. It must be impossible to reason with this one_ , though Kuroo amused. They parted separate ways and silence fell in the car. She was beautiful and unexpectedly young. He had imagined her completely different.

« So, I’m Hinata Harumi, Shōyō’s mom. » started the woman with a soft voice, looking closely at the street. « I’ve heard a lot about you two. » laughed the woman amused.

They started with the presentations, but the woman was so easy-going that they ended up chatting casually. _Now I know where Hinata’s got that from_ , thought Kuroo thinking about the little spiker. He even resembled the woman, although she had darker auburn hair.

The car stopped right in front of a nice small house. A little girl walked through the path in the garden and opened the rear car door. She hopped on, closed the door and stared at Kenma for a little while. She was the exact copy of Hinata; she had red untamable hair and big amber eyes. She blushed a little.

« Picture boy! » yelled the girl at last.

She just sat there, looking straight at him with her big eyes and her mouth opened in wonder. On the other hand, Kenma looked uneasy. His eyes were bouncing from the little girl, to the woman and to him. _Don’t ask me, I don’t know_ , thought Kuroo amused.

« Natsu! You should introduce yourself, first. » instructed the woman. « Put on the seatbelt. »

The girl’s eyes widened, and her cheeks became as red as cherries. She murmured her name and smiled a little. Kenma replied with curtesy and helped her with the seatbelt, since she was so nervous, she couldn’t do it.

« I’m Kuroo. » said the black-haired boy turning to them, since he sat on the front seat.

The girl smiled a little and kept looking at them with curiosity.

« You’re Onii-chan’s friends! » said at last. « He always talks about you. »

The woman resumed driving and so did the chattering. Eventually the little girl quiet down and started looking out of the car window. The rain had stopped, and some shy sunrays came out in an orange sunset.

« Shōyō-nii-chan! » yelled the little girl pointing with her little index right in front of them.

She was right. There was someone riding on a bicycle on that steep hill. As they got nearer, he could see the little details clearer; red untamable hair, black sweatshirt and infinite stamina. It really was Hinata. They eventually got past him and surpassed him.

« Is he out of his mind ? » asked Kuroo in denial. He kept looking back at him from the rearview mirror.

« I feel tired just looking at him! » added Kenma looking back at him too with his eyes widened. That was one of Hinata’s little things that made him even more interested in the boy.

« Oh, because of the steep hill ? » asked rhetorically the woman. « It’s no big deal for him, he does it every day to go to school. »

Both Nekoma’s boy looked at her as if she said something unbelievable. They looked like they just saw a ghost. Kenma, however, looked more excited as she explained things.

« There’s an high school nearer our home, but since he had seen that Karasuno’s player in the National, he refused to go to other schools. » said the woman as she parked the car.

They all hopped off the car and followed her through the path that lead into Hinata’s house. It was cozy and warming. It wasn’t filled with unnecessary stuff, but it was very tidy and bright. A sweet smell wafted in the air. They got in and followed the woman, as she was giving them a full tour of the house. They took the chance to leave their luggage in Hinata’s room and then followed her downstairs in the living room.

« I’m home! » exclaimed Hinata in the genkan as he took off his wet shoes and put on his slippers.

Both Kenma and Kuroo got straight by his side, scrutinizing him with a dead serious glare. They even took the little boy’s arm into their hands and gave him a full check-up. Hinata looked at them confused and tried to move, but Kuroo grabbed his shoulders and looked straight into his eyes.

« What kind of monster are you ? » asked the black-haired one still unable to believe what he saw.

« Why ? » asked Hinata blushing for the embarrassment.

« I don’t know, maybe because you’ve just ridden a freaking steep hill ? » explained Kuroo shocked.

« Oh … That! » exclaimed Hinata as he went straight to the living room. « I eventually got used to it. » added as if it wasn’t a big deal.

« You’re not going to sit on that sofa without taking a shower, young man. » said Harumi with his arms crossed.

« ‘kaay. » yielded Hinata, bolting upstairs.

Time passed by quickly. Hinata’s mother was good at entertaining them. She asked them questions and listen very carefully to what they told her. She seemed interested in them and knew a lot already. _Chibi-chan must have spoken to her a lot about us_ , thought Kuroo as she told her about Hinata’s excitement about the National and his hope to meet them there.

« What about the cake ? » exclaimed Hinata shirtless and out of breath. He rubbed the towel on his hair, as they were still soaking wet.

« You’re impossible, Shōyō. » murmured his mother covering her face with the palm of her hand. « I’m so sorry for his lack of good manners. »

« Come on, mom! I don’t get to see them every day. I’m multitasking. » exclaimed the red-haired one putting his black shirt on. « Back to the cake. »

« I was waiting for you. » said the woman getting up.

« Don’t worry, I’ll do it. » said Hinata, vanishing in the kitchen.

He could hear the kettle blowing a whistle; he was making tea. Then there was the sound of plates clattering lightly. Hinata appeared with a huge tray. There were teacups, the kettle, a pile of little plates and an apple pie. He arranged the table and served them with tea and a slice of cake.

« Did you do it ? » asked Kenma out of the blue.

« Yeah, we have an apple tree. » explained Hinata with a little smile. « You once told me you love apple pie, so I thought you would like it after the game. »

« It’s really good … Thanks, Shōyō. » said Kenma blushing a little and looking away.

« Your shirt is so cool! » said Kuroo looking amazed.

« Oh, my little sister, Natsu, did it for me! » said Hinata extremely proud.

The little girl blushed but gave them a huge smile in return. My god, he’s so lucky to have this angel as his little sister, thought Kuroo looking at them bickering and giggling. He never had a sibling. The closest thing to it was Kenma. Kenma had been the little brother he never had. The girl whispered something in Hinata’s ear, and the boy smirked amused. The nodded and looked at them.

« I can make you one too, Kuroo-nii-san. » said the little girl with his pure innocent big amber eyes. « Do you want one too, Kenma-nii-san ? »

« You should embroider them cats, though. » said Hinata, messing with her hair. « They’re know as the cats. »

« Really ? That’s better, crows scare me! » said the little girl with a sad face.

In the meantime, both Kenma and Kuroo froze on the spot. They had been hit by some godly miracle. _So that’s what real happiness feels like. Kami-sama is smiling upon me_ , thought Kuroo as if he were in paradise. That was the best moment of his life. Hinata could make fun of him forever, he wouldn’t care. He had been called “Onii-san” and nothing mattered anymore. After that, he would die as a happy man.

Kenma didn’t find the strengths to speak. He just looked at her as if she was an angel descended to Earth from Heaven. His cheeks were as red as fire and he couldn’t bring himself to look at Hinata. He was sure he was having the time of his life seeing them flustered like that.

The rest of the afternoon flew. Natsu was already in love with them and made them play with her until dinner. They filled their bellies with Harumi’s famous sukiyaki, rice and tonkatsu. They dug up nicely and afterwards they let themselves fall on the couch.

« Your mom is a kitchen goddess. » said Kuroo resting his head on the end of the couch.

« Right ? You’re so lucky, my mom doesn’t cook so well … » added Kenma massaging his belly.

Hinata’s phone rang, breaking the conversation they were having. Kuroo saw him looked at it and rushing to put it back in the pocket. It didn’t save him though, because the phone rang again and now they got interested in it.

« So, Chibi-chan has secrets now … » teased Kuroo with a smirk.

« I thought we were friend, Shōyō. » whined Kenma with a sly smile.

He then let his hand slide in the red-haired boy’s pocket and grabbed the phone.

« Wait! » said Hinata rebelling and trying to get the phone back from Kenma.

« Oya oya … Now I get it! » said Kenma putting a sad face on. « So you like him more than us ? »

Kenma passed the phone to Kuroo, who read the texts and looked at him shocked.

**Whatsapp**.

 **Oikawa Tōru** : “Chibi-chan~, tomorrow’s my day off from club activities, I was thinking that we could meet for that math lessons you need.”

 **Oikawa Tōru** : “Since I didn’t know about your birthday, I didn’t have the time to get you a present, so I’ll treat you to dinner. Let me know.”

« Oya, oya, oya … _Chibi-chan_! » exclaimed Kuroo teasing him. « Now I get why he was so mad at me. »

« It’s not what it looks like! » said Hinata hyperventilating. « And no! I don’t like him more than I like you! » added grabbing Kenma’s hand in his own looking desparate.

He then proceeded to tell them about the train station meeting, how Oikawa forced him to sleep at his house, how he was forced to wear the Seijoh’s team shirt and be mocked and blackmailed with the infamous picture and how their mothers conspired against him and forced math lesson to him.

« And that’s the whole story. » said Hinata letting himself fall deeper in the couch, looking grumpy and sad.

« And here I thought he was a dandy boy. After what you told us, he looks more like a caveman. » said Kuroo with a laugh.

« But are you really that deep in trouble with math ? » asked Kenma looking straight at him.

« No, I just didn’t study, ‘cause we had the Inter-High and I was more focus on volleyball. » started Hinata embarrassed. « When I actually study, my grades are pretty decent. »

« Shōyō … You should study right away. » said Kenma quietly. « If you’ll do it good the first time, then you’ll have more time for volleyball. »

« I know, but it’s really hard for me to sit down and stare at books. » said the red-haired boy with a sad face.

« Come on, just think about you’re doing it for the sake of volleyball. » said Kuroo trying to motivate him.

« Okay … I’ll give it a try! » said Hinata with a shy smile.

« But now I have the doubt that you like him more than me. » teased Kenma making a sad face.

« But it’s not true! I even came for you this morning, and made you apple pie ‘cause I know you like it. » murmured Hinata almost tearing up. « What do you want me to do to prove it to you ? I’ll wear the Nekoma’s shirt. No, better, I’ll sleep in it. »

Kenma had stopped him messing with his hair and laughed a little.

« Calm down, I was just teasing you. » murmured Kenma. « But now I want to see you with the Nekoma’s shirt! »

Kuroo lent him the t-shirt and, when Hinata finally reappeared wearing it, they were astonished.

« My god, this is a really good sight. » said Kuroo amused. « A little crow adopted by cats. »

« I like it. » said Kenma with a smirk.

« Well, since I have this on, we can take some picture. » said Hinata sitting again between the two of them.

Kuroo dragged them closer to him and took several pictures. Then, Kenma leant closer to him and took a selfie. They eventually shared them with him.

« Oh! I really like this two! » said Hinata pointing at them. One was a group one and the other was a photo with Kenma.

The cat-eyes boy edited them and posted them on his Instagram profile, tagging them.

« So now it’s official that you like us more. » teased Kuroo with a smirk.

« But guys … » started Hinata, blushing violently. « You know you’re special to me, right ? »

Kenma blushed on the spot and looked away and Kuro teased him a little.

Afterwards, they got to watch the tv a little. They were watching a shounen anime, when they noticed that Kenma had fallen asleep. Kuroo picked him up and brought him to Natsu’s bedroom, where he was supposed to sleep, as Natsu would be with his mother. He adjusted the blanket and turned the light off.

« So, I guess it’s sleep time … » whispered Kuroo, entering the boy’s bedroom.

« Yeah, just give me a second, I’ll prepare the futon. » said Hinata in a whisper.

He moved quietly and without unnecessary movements. He unrolled the futon on the tatami, the rice straw wicker covered in reed, and place on the duvet. He knelt down and polished it with his hands until he was satisfied with the result, then invited Kuroo to settle in. He was about to get up, when Kuroo gently grabbed him by his wrist and stopped him.

« Wait … » whispered Kuroo blushing a little.

Hinata looked at him curious. He had never seen him like that. He nodded and curled up right in front of him. The black of hair one was ransacking his own bag, then he stopped. He turned around, sitting in front of him.

« I know we met recently, but I wanted to … » started Kuroo in a whisper. « I mean … This is for you. » added the boy handing over a packet.

« What ? » asked Hinata with the box in his hands.

« Happy Birthday, Chibi-chan … » whispered Kuroo lowering his gaze.

Hinata looked at him surprised. He had never thought he would receive a gift from him. His hands shook a little, so Kuroo took them in his own and stroke them gently with a tender look. Hinata blushed violently, but with one long breath regain composure and unwrapped the gift.

There were two objects; one was a leather bracelet with a little charm inside, it had the number ten painted on. The other one was a disk. It didn’t have a title.

« I made you a dvd with the best volleyball matches in recent history … » explained Kuroo a little embarrassed.

Hinata had to restrain himself from screaming out of joy. He even teared up and jumped at him, tying his arms around his neck in a tight hug. Since he had bolted on him with such speed, Kuroo fell on his back, with Hinata on him. He closed his eyes and placed his arms around his waist and hugged him in return.

« Bubbly as usual, huh ? » laughed Kuroo genuinely.

« I’m so sorry … » whispered Hinata with his cheeks on fire. « And thank you. »

Even if they were extremely embarrassed by the event, they stayed in that hug for a little while. Then they sat again and avoided eye-contact at all cost. Kuroo couldn’t bring himself to look at him. _Chibi-chan, you’ll make me fall for you_ , thought Kuroo as he looked down.

« Can you help me ? » asked the little one shyly.

He was busy trying to secure the bracelet around his left wrist, but he couldn’t do it, as it kept slipping out of his hand. Kuroo smiled and took the bracelet in his hands. He placed it on Hinata’s wrist and closed it, making sure it would slip out.

« Since it isn’t so late we could watch it a little. » proposed Kuroo with a smile.

Hinata nodded happy and prepared the notebook and turned off the lights. They settled in the futon and clicked on the file. It started with a Brazilian match. The players were amazing. Hinata was mesmerized by them and sometimes looked at Kuroo with a tender look. _I know, this was the perfect gift for you_ , thought Kuroo satisfied.

Time passed and both fell asleep, ignoring the fact that they were sleeping in the same bed, so near one another. Hinata turned around and clung to Kuroo’s shirt, and in response Kuroo hugged him instinctively. He held the little boy in his strong arms with care. They were so close that the little one’s lips were brushing on Kuroo’s neck.

And in that moment, they both felt light in their dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you see, things are getting interesting little by little!  
> Kuroo and Kenma now know about the math lessons with Oikawa and it's looking that the game is officially on.
> 
> Did you like the chapter ? What do you think it will happen ?
> 
> I'm curious to know what do you think of the story.
> 
> Please, let me know <3


	7. Private lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iwaizumi thinks about Oikawa having a crush, while Hinata meets with Seijoh's setter for his private lesson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there!  
> I hope you're safe and healty; we're living in hard times, but we'll make it! <3
> 
> Dear Oihina readers,  
> I hope I'll earn forgiveness with this chapter :P <3  
> Hope you'll like it!

Chibi-chan’s secret

Private lesson

— Chapter #6 —

Iwaizumi Hajime

The news had blown up his mind. He still could not believe it. _Oikawa has a crush_ , thought Iwaizumi completely absorbed. _A crush_ , echoed in the brown-haired boy’s head, who sat still in utter denial. His mind simply refused to process that information. He couldn’t even remember the last time the brunette had a crush. He hadn’t seen him so worked up for someone in ages.

It was too weird to imagine him having a crush. It looked simply out of character. In his mind, the faces of all the people the brunette had dated popped up. There had been so many. Yuki, Akari, Hachiro, Haruka, Kaito, … Boys, girls; it never made a difference for him. He just wanted to be loved. His heart longed for eyes that followed him, tender looks that could cuddle him and arms that would shelter him when the world became too cruel. A minute, a day, a whole year; it didn’t matter for how long, or how it would play out. He just needed it. It was really that simple.

_It’s easy to find love, the hard thing is how to keep it_ , echoed Oikawa’s words in his mind. He had never taken those words too seriously; they sounded plain — just as another way for Oikawa to show off and look smart, but now they started to make sense. The more he thought about them, the more things looked different. At that point, he wasn’t even sure he had ever really known him.

_No, he is an idiot, no doubt about that_ , thought Iwaizumi scratching lightly his nape, confuting the possibility he had been wrong about his friend all along. _He is just much more skilled in hiding his vulnerabilities than I imagined_ , thought again staring at his bowl with a blank gaze.

_The hard thing is how to keep it_ , echoed again.

_You’re not trash, you just act trash_ , rang his own words loudly in his head.

_I hate tears_ , had said Oikawa once. He remembered.

It had been so long before, that he had started to forget. Forget there had been a time Oikawa was so different. A time where he wasn’t yet aware of his charm and breaking hearts hurt deeper than a sword. A time where his heart was pure, and his smiles sprouted out of true joy.

_When the beast still slept deep_ , remembered the boy with a tender shy smile. He saw him clearly; a younger Oikawa, with a big smile and his laughing eyes, waiting to be praised for his perfect toss. Or again, still a younger Oikawa with his lips curved down and his eyes dull, swollen and red, as he had cried his sorrow out.

It had all started when the brunette wasn’t aware of his endearing nature. People had started confessing to him and his pure heart refused them. Time passed, but it never got easier. It only hammered his heart harder and made it sore; with every confession, his throat burnt, his heart throbbed, and the guilt grew more and more. He couldn’t look at those crying eyes anymore. It hurt too much.

That’s how the brunette had stopped refusing. He just accepted everything that was thrown at him. He didn’t like tears, and tears were no more. _If only it were so simple_ , sighed the brown-haired boy, deep in his own thoughts.

He didn’t make them cry anymore, but problems still kept popping up. He slayed the beast’s head, and two more showed up. It seemed a lost cause. A war he couldn’t win. It was exactly as he had said, it was easy to find love. The hard part was how to keep it.

People only saw his good look; his captivating gaze, his messy light brown hair, his slender figure and his charming smile. They only saw him as a prize to win and to show off and then put it on a shelf, once they were done.

He pretended that things slipped off him, as if he had armor on, but Iwaizumi knew better. Every breakup was a dent on his shining armor. Every goodbye pierced through his breastplate as a war hammer, smashed at full brute strength. Every “it’s over” cut his heart in two, leaving it to bleed until it felt like dying. For every blow, his heart slowly tuned to stone.

_So, you’re still in there, deep down inside, under this diva façade_ , thought Iwaizumi relieved. Somehow the thought that Oikawa’s sweet side was fighting back made him proud. He would never admit it out loud, of course, but at least he got the courage to admit it to himself.

His thoughts moved fast, and he found himself thinking about the previous day. It had all started that very morning; the brunette had bothered the hell out of him from dawn, had been tensed up throughout the whole game and had hidden under the blanket and cried. It wasn’t like him at all. If Hanae-san hadn’t told him about his crush, he would have just assumed his friend had gone crazy.

He could recall his stiffness. Oikawa had tried his best to conceal his anxiety, but it was clear that he was uneasy. He had been a mess the whole evening. He had barely touched his food and had checked his phone constantly. His feet had tapped to the floor and his face was strained.

He had caught him off guard with the first question, but he couldn’t bleed off any more information from him. The chocolate-haired one had taken refuge in himself, letting walls rise high. He simply shut down, refusing to open up. The only thing he had obtained was a confirmation. Oikawa indeed had a crush.

It was really weird. Oikawa liked to share that kind of information and boast. He usually had to restrain the setter from spilling the tea about every little detail of his sexual life and now he was the one who had to force informations out of his mouth.

_He’s hiding something. Why?_ asked himself Iwaizumi finally eating his lunch. Did Oikawa really have that deep feelings for someone? Why was he so anxious? What could make him squirm so much? That he could not find an answer. He had tried to explain his friend’s behavior, but it was just too strange, even for him. _Or maybe, it’s just me being too used to his high self-confidence_ , thought Iwaizumi annoyed.

_Well, it’s not that he had no feelings for his ex-lovers. He just assumed everything would eventually fall apart as usual_ , thought the boy trying to go over the matter once more. He racked his own brain to get those answers. _What would make him anxious?_ asked Iwaizumi to himself. _Not being the best one out there, strong opponents, not having control_ , thought the boy completely absorbed. He was so deep in his thought, that it was as if he wasn’t thinking at all.

_Why do I even want to know? It’s not my business_ , thought the boy shaking his head and swallowing some rice. It had cooled down, but it was still delicious. The chopsticks in his right hand kept bringing food to his mouth and he automatically chewed and swallowed like a machine. He was ingesting a bite of fried chicken when realization hit him, making him choke a bit. He had to swallow a huge glass of water to make it get down his throat.

_You don’t have control over this, do you?_ thought Iwaizumi amused. It had to be that way, otherwise he could not explain his sudden and incomprehensible anxiety. _They can’t be from here. Aobajohsai is his domain and there is no real competition here_ , thought the boy now more interested and invested in the matter than ever. _If they were here, he would have gone for it already. Or, at least, it would be on everyone’s mouth_ , speculated mentally the young man.

_There’s still one thing missing_ , thought Iwaizumi rolling his eyes. _Who? It could be anyone_ , speculated the boy in his head. Oikawa didn’t have a defined type he liked the most; it kept changing with his mood. That annoyed him, as it made things even harder.

No matter how much he had pushed, he couldn’t make Oikawa confess. The brunette’s lips were sealed, and he didn’t break under the weight of all his questions. He had tried again that morning, but he had failed again.

Despite his own predictions, Oikawa didn’t avoid him. On the contrary, it seemed he was back to his usual nasty self; he dodged all of his questions, but at least he didn’t cut him out completely. He knew Oikawa was pretending everything was back to normal, but as he looked at him more closely, he could see how much different he was.

The brunette had grown quieter and seemed to space out from time to time; it was possible he couldn’t bring himself to stop whatever thoughts were on his mind. He had struggled to focus during lessons and had started to scribble all over his notebook _. He’s going to freak out, once he’s back to normal_ , thought Iwaizumi repressing a laugh. The setter hated messy notes and smears on his notebooks; he liked them organized and clean, as all the things in his life.

_This person must be a wildcard to reduce him to such a basket-case_ , hypothesized Iwaizumi taking in account of all the variables.

« Can you stop grinning like that? It’s disturbing. » asked Hanamaki hitting him lightly on the head, to bring him back on Earth.

« Oy, don’t hit me. » grumbled Iwaizumi with fiery eyes.

« You were spacing out. » replied the boy with light brown short-cropped hair. « Not my fault if you didn’t listen. »

« What was that grin for, anyway? » asked the boy on his right. He had messy black hair and thick eyebrows.

Iwaizumi looked at them closely and evaluated the idea to bring them on board. _Makki’s calm and collected, there’s no way he missed Shittykawa’s weirdness. As for Matsu, he can be as cunning as well_ , thought Iwaizumi with a smirk.

« Did you notice anything weird? » asked the boy casually, testing the ground.

« Not really. I mean, everything seems just fine … » started Hanamaki. « The captain seems a little off, but it’s not the first time he throws a tantrum. »

« I’d like to know what _you_ noticed. » said softly Matsukawa smirking at Iwaizumi. « It must be good to make you space out like that. »

As expected of him, Matsukawa had figure out the situation right away. He had some amazing observing skills. In a game, he was the one the opponents were most annoyed by, since it took mere seconds for him to understand their game schemes.

« I didn’t expect any less from you, Matsu. » started the vice-captain with a smirk.

He then proceeded to explain the situation. He started from his visit to Oikawa and he made sure not to miss a single detail. Every little thing could help them solve that mystery. Hanamaki was looking at him with a horrified face, while Matsukawa just stared at him as if he had said something mind-blowing.

« No way! » burst Makki in disbelief. It was simply impossible.

« Yeah, you’re reading way too much into it. » replied Matsukawa nodding in agreement with Hanamaki.

« I’m not imagining things, he even confirmed it! » protested Iwaizumi keeping it low. « I caught him off guard, asking him how his crush was doing, and he literally said, “Surely better than I am”. »

« What? » asked Hanamaki choking with his lunch.

« Are you serious? » added Matsukawa even more mind blown.

« Yeah, but Shittykawa refuses to tell me who his crush i— » started Iwaizumi, before getting hit by Hanamaki’s foot. « Why the hell did you hit me? »

« I think it’s because of me, Iwaizumi-san. » said a little voice behind him.

« Kunimi! » burst out Iwaizumi looking as if he had seen a ghost. « Cut it with that Iwaizumi-san, it makes me feel so old! »

« How ‘bout Iwa-kun? » asked the quiet boy with a low voice, sitting next to him on his left, in front of Hanamaki.

« That’s better. » replied with curtesy Iwaizumi. « So, what brings you here? »

« I was searching for the captain, but I can’t find him anywhere. » started Kunimi with his flat tone. « Since I couldn’t find him, I looked for you, since you’re the vice-captain … I have a small favor to ask. »

« Shoot. » said Iwaizumi with a genuine smile.

« Well, would it be possible … Could I be exempted from practice this Thursday? » asked shyly the quiet boy. « I submitted an apply for a summer internship at Sendai’s bank to see if I really want to pursuit it and earn some money. They asked me to show up for an interview. »

« Of course! I’m glad you’re taking your future seriously. » replied Iwaizumi offering him some fried chicken. « Don’t worry, I’ll tell Oikawa. »

« So … » started Hanamaki staring at the lad.

« Kunimi … » added Matsukawa, sticking out a little from Iwaizumi right side.

« How much did you hear? » asked Iwaizumi looking now serious.

« Do you have to kill me now? » asked Kunimi with irony.

« Not if you don’t speak about it. » replied Matsukawa with a smirk.

« Speak about what? Don’t know what you’re talking about. » played dumb the quiet boy with a sly gaze. He knew how to play, Iwaizumi granted him that.

« I see, if that’s how things are, we’re good. » said Iwaizumi, who had finally found hunger.

« Besides, I’m your best chance to find out. » said casually Kunimi with a low voice.

« And how’s that? » asked Hanamaki with an arched brow.

« He won’t lower his guard around you; you’re too close. » explained Kunimi, eating a piece of fried chicken. « I’m the quiet kohai who doesn’t stick his nose in other people’s business. »

« Yeah, that was my point. » replied Hanamaki, arching his bow more. « You don’t like to spend energies around. »

« Well, usually, but it’s my business too now. » mumbled the quiet boy.

« How so? » asked Matsukawa.

« I have a life wish, you know? » said simply Kunimi. « I don’t intend to be reduced to dust by the captain’s crazy spikes. »

« Well, I didn’t want to involve a kohai, but since you’re volunteering … » said Iwaizumi amused.

_Things are getting interesting_ , thought Iwaizumi smirking. He could have never imagined that things would turn that way. He still felt guilty for intruding in his friend’s business like that but watching him squirm and despair as if he were completely hopeless, made him feel uneasy.

_Tōru, gomen ne 1_.

*

Hinata Shōyō

_I should make this quick_ , thought the red-haired one making his eyes bounce from his wristwatch to the Volleyball Club’s door. The day had really flown quickly; his goodbye to his new friends seemed already so far away. He could not remember what he had done after. It almost felt as if he had let himself be carried away by the events through that day.

_So weird to be back to the usual routine_ , thought Hinata grabbing the door’s handle. It was true that he had a crazy weekend, but the more he remembered, the more his cheeks flushed, and his heart pumped harder and faster. It had been like a movie. _Or a dream_ , thought Hinata without even realizing.

_Chibi-chan, you don’t look so good_ , echoed Oikawa’s voice in his head.

He remembered. He damn remembered the moment clearly; it happened after the brunette had let him get down. His head had started to spin, and he had clung desperately to Oikawa’s jacket, as sweat streamed down his forehead and shivers run down his spine. The brunette had held him in his strong arms and looked him in the eyes from his great height. He could still remember his good scent and his fingers brushing gently his hair.

_Come on, a kiss and I’ll consider stop messing with you for tonight_ , echoed again Oikawa’s endearing voice.

His heart skipped a beat. Just thinking about it was enough to make his heart throb. He instinctively brushed his lips with the fingers of his free hand, before wetting and sucking them. It didn’t feel as good as sucking _his_ lips. _His taste better_ , thought Hinata too lost in his memories. Oikawa too had brushed his lips afterwards. _Cute_ , thought the red-haired one with a little smile.

The setter’s fingers had moved to his neck. He had started to lick and suck Hinata’s skin desperately. Then, he had moved to his chest, clinging to his shirt, just to put a hand on his mouth afterwards, to muffle his moans. The little crow’s cheeks flushed even more, and he suddenly felt burning, as if he were on fire. _More_ , whispered a soft voice in his head.

_You know Chibi-chan, it’s still your fault_.

_If you wanted me to stop, you should have said so_.

_But you didn’t_.

_Because you liked it_.

Oikawa’s words echoed in his mind again and again. His soft voice enchanted him, compelling him to subdue himself to his heart’s most deep and obscure desires. The little voice whispered him sweet things and Oikawa’s moans echoed in his head. He could still feel his sweet scent, his soft lips against his, his hands clinging and squeezing his body, his tongue licking and his lips sucking his skin. _More_ , echoed the sweet voice. _More_.

His guts twisted and burnt. It felt as if time stopped and breathing was harder than usual. He knew. Even if he had denied the evidence, he knew. He had liked it. He did. He had known since his heart started to throb just by the thought of it.

_But what does it mean?_ asked himself Hinata, terrified. He had never felt anything like that; not even once. The memory consumed him. Just the thought of it made him shake in pleasure; his guts twisted, and a fire ignited in his belly. His heart threatened to rip his chest apart. His all skin burnt. It was a burning desire. He lusted for more; craving for something he hadn’t had yet. There was so much to discover; a whole new world was popping up in front of him. He needed to feel it again. He needed to be consumed by that feeling once more.

_It’s just attraction, right?_ thought the one with the hair red as fire, as his heart started pounding faster. _Just because someone gives me some attention doesn’t mean I have to run to his arms. I’m so pathetic_ , thought again. It had to be that way. There was no way he could like _him_ , him of all people. _I mean, it’s pleasant being around him, and he can be funny_ , thought Hinata with his right hand still clinging to the door’s handle. _But it doesn’t mean I like him. He’s so annoying and flirts with me just to tease m_ —

The door opened all of a sudden and smashed on his right eyebrow. The red-haired boy flew on the ground by the push. In the collision he crashed on his right shoulder blade. His whole body was in pain. _Kami-sama, I know I had impure thoughts, but you’re overdoing it_ , thought Hinata crouching on his knees. His eyes wet a little, as tears threatened to break free.

« Wait ‘til I find him, he’ll hear me. » yelled Kageyama annoyed. « There you a— »

« WHAT THE FUCK? » burst out the red-haired one. He felt something wet and warm streaming down his face. He pressed his right hand on the hit eyebrow. Someone had scolded him, yelling “Hinata! Language!”.

« Hinata! Are you okay? » cried Tanaka terrified; his precious kohai was a step away from death.

« You shouldn’t get up. » whispered Sugawara, helping him laying down. « Thaat’s it. Well done. »

He didn’t notice before, but Sugawara was really pretty. He had a calming presence and he always spoke with a warm and soft voice. He was glad he was there; he wouldn’t have survived alone with Kageyama. He would have been the death of him. _That’s for certain_ , thought Hinata annoyed.

« Can you tell me where we are? » asked the pretty boy with a reassuring smile.

« We’re at school. » started Hinata, pressing harder on the brow. « Right outside the volleyball club. »

« Do you remember what day today is ? » asked again Sugawara letting his fingers brush his hair away from his forehead. He was bleeding.

« Monday. » said the little one. « I was coming to tell Daichi-san I couldn’t come to practice today. »

« How’s so? » asked Kageyama with mixed feeling. He was obviously scared he caused him damages, but was also annoyed by the fact that, even if he didn’t slam the door on his face, he would have still bailed out on them. Hinata could see it on his face.

« I have math tutoring. » explained Hinata with a low voice. « My mom threatens to forbid me volleyball club if my grades don’t improve. And if I want to go to Tokyo, I have to pass the exams anyway. »

« It seems you wouldn’t be able to practice anyway … Not with a bleeding wound and a concussion. » said Sugawara with a little laugh out of embarrassment.

Daichi picked him up carefully and carried him to the infirmary. He laid on the bed; his back didn’t hurt as much as before, but his shoulder blade still stung. The captain left him with Sugawara, as someone had to keep an eye to the wild pack. The school nurse had come quickly. She introduced herself – her name was Ayame, and then started to assess him.

She had immediately placed the pressure cuff around his right upper arm and let it inflate. She then positioned a weird device on his left index. She looked at him very carefully, as if he were a source of infinite informations. Her eyes bounced from him to the monitor. She always explained what she was doing, and he found it reassuring.

« Can you do one last thing for me, Hinata-kun? » asked softly the girl. « I need you to stare at my index. Don’t be scared of the little light, it just helps me looking at your pupils. »

Hinata nodded, blushing a little. He did as she instructed, and it took mere seconds. The monitor started to ring, and it made him even more anxious. He was going to be so late; Oikawa would kill him. He was sure of it.

« Your heart rate is rising a little. Is there something worrying you? » asked the nurse with a tender look and keeping his hand in hers.

« No … It’s just that I’ll be late for my tutoring. » explained Hinata embarrassed.

« Well, if you have your phone with you, you could text them. » said Ayame with an encouraging smile. « For now, it would seem that your neurological test is negative. I’ll have to check again, but in the meantime, I’ll clean your wound. »

**Whatsapp**. Oikawa Tōru chat.

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “I’m going to be late. I’m so sorry.”

« That sounds good, isn’t it? » asked Sugawara a little anxious.

« Things could change really quickly, that’s why I need to check multiple times in this half an hour. » explained the nurse, preparing the necessary. « I’ll disinfect the wound now; it will sting a little. »

It was true. It stung, but she made it quick. She had gloves on, and she held a sterile plier in her right hand. She picked a cotton ball up and dipped it in the disinfectant. She then brushed it carefully on the bruise, and then throw it in the trash can. She repeated the process several times.

« I’m almost done. » said the girl softly. He couldn’t see it, as she was wearing a mask, but she was smiling a little. He could see how her eyes sparkled. « The cut isn’t deep, so you won’t need stitches, but I’m applying these steri strip. »

She explained that those were sterile polypropylene plasters. They were applied on wounds of medium depth and help the cut close. She covered them with a breathable plaster to avoid that external pathogens could infect the wound.

« You’re patched up nicely, Hinata. » said Sugawara with a sweet laugh. « Oh, nice bracelet. Is it new? »

« Yeah, Kuroo gave it to me. » explained Hinata, looking away. His cheeks flushed a little.

« Oh, Nekoma’s captain? It was sweet of him to give you a present. » replied Sugawara surprised.

« Yeah, I didn’t expect him to buy me a gift, but he did. » admitted Hinata with a shy smile.

His mind travelled through the last few hours; the things he remembered made him blush hard. Kuroo’s smile popped up in his mind. He found his laugh refreshing. He was always able to make him feel lighter and happier. It felt like he was free. He felt free to laugh, to smile, to cry. Kuroo never complained. He simply accepted things as they were and never made him feel as if he didn’t meet people expectations.

For some aspects, Oikawa and Kuroo were similar; they both loved to tease him. He remembered how Kuroo had teased him and tricked him in hugging him. The memory made his cheeks flush and warm up. _How did I even hug him in front of so many people_? thought Hinata realizing what he had done. How can the same thing feel so different? asked Hinata to himself. How could a hug feel so different? That he couldn’t understand. _But it felt good with both_ , thought the red-haired one without realizing.

He looked at his wrist; the bracelet showed off in contrast to his pale skin. I didn’t expect it, thought Hinata still surprised. He would have never dreamed of receiving a gift from Kuroo. They weren’t that close yet. _He must have thought that it would be rude to ignore it, since Kenma bought me one and he’s his best friend_ , thought Hinata. Despite all the reasons that pushed Kuroo to buy him a gift, he was glad. It was heart-warming and he would guard that memory with all the care he had.

His thoughts flew on that very morning. He had woken up in Kuroo’s arms. He was still clinging to his shirt and he was so close to his skin that he could smell his scent. The shy light of dawn lit up the room a little; he could see Kuroo sleeping face. His hair was messy, his eyes closed, and his lips parted a little. He could not say why, but he seemed sad. Something on his expression made him feel melancholic. Kuroo had squeezed him even more in his arms; his lips brushed his collarbone. _It felt safe_ , thought Hinata completely absorbed.

The nurse kept checking him every five minutes. She made sure his oxygen’s saturation was in range and repeated the pupils test several times. It seemed that everything was fine after all, so the nurse discharged him, instructing him on how to behave if things threatened to worsen.

« Hinata, are you okay with leaving alone? I could accompany you. » proposed the vice-captain with a tender look.

« Oh, no, please! I already took you out of practice already. » said Hinata, visibly embarrassed and guilty.

« I knew you would say something like that! » laughed Sugawara. « I’ll do some tosses, so don’t worry for me, but please, promise me you’ll call me if anything happens. »

« I promise! » said Hinata giving him a big smile. The senpai had messed his hair lightly and carefully and headed back to the gym.

Hinata rushed to his bicycle and hopped on as fast as he could. He knew it would be imprudent of him to ride a bike after getting smacked by a door like that, but he feared Oikawa’s wrath more. _It’s still your fault, Oibaka_ , thought Hinata annoyed. If he hadn’t teased him, he would not think of unnecessary things like the ones he was thinking a while back. He pedalled as quickly as he could.

When he arrived, he parked and secured the bike. Then, he entered the café and started looking around. The brunette was giving him his back. He could see how displeased he was, even if he couldn’t see his face. Oikawa’s pose told him. He walked slowly towards him.

« Hi. » said Hinata with a low voice. He couldn’t even look at him. « I’m so late. I’m sorry. »

The brunette got up; he knew because his sweet scent wafted to his nostrils, as the brunette’s body moved the air a little. He couldn’t suppress a little smile. Oikawa laid a hand on his own hip. _He’s mad_ , thought Hinata, squeezing his eyes, with his head lowered.

« Well, it was a little humiliating sitting here alone for almost an hour. » complained Oikawa with an annoyed tone. « I though you forgot about it, Chibi-chan. »

« I didn’t! » cried Hinata, finally looking him in the eyes. « I wouldn’t … »

« My god, what happened to you? » asked Oikawa shocked; his eyes widened, and his lips parted a little. He cupped his cheeks gently in his hands and looked at him worried. He had never seen him like that. « Can you stand? Please, sit. » said the brunette tending to him. He stifled a moan when Oikawa put a hand on his right shoulder.

« Kageyama smashed a door on my head. It was an accident. » said Hinata sitting next to him. « It still hurts a little, but it’s not as bad as before. »

« That brat. » replied Oikawa rolling his eyes. « Of course, he’s involved. »

« He didn’t do it on purpose … » said Hinata scratching lightly the back of his head. « I’m sure he’s feeling bad for it. »

« If I knew about this, I would have cancelled. You should be resting at home, Chibi-chan. » said Oikawa with his arms crossed at his chest.

He was worried. It was surprising; they weren’t close, but despite that, Oikawa seemed to care for him. At first glance, he didn’t pass for the loving and caring type. Clearly, it was his nasty attitude’s fault, but it was still a pleasant surprise.

« But it’s your free day … I didn’t want to waste your time like that. » said Hinata, looking away. It was way too embarrassing. « If I start feeling unwell, I’ll tell you, okay? » added the red-haired one, looking at him with a sincere gaze.

For a moment, Oikawa’s face was indecipherable. His eyes were wide open, his lips parted a little. He was surprised. _No, he’s embarrassed_ , thought Hinata shocked, as he noticed the brunette’s cheeks turn rosy. The setter, however, recovered quickly, and showed off his infamous smirk.

« So … You felt bad at the thought of leaving me all alone. » whispered the brunette amused. He was enjoying every single moment of it. « Has Chibi-chan started to like me? » asked with a grin.

« What has liking anything to do with this? » asked Hinata in a mumble. « Standing you up at such short notice would have been extremely rude. »

« Keep telling you that, Chibi-chan. » laughed Oikawa amused.

« You’re imagining things, _Oibaka_. » said Hinata with an amused smirk.

Oikawa turned and stared at him. His face was completely warped in pure horror; his brows furrowed, his lips parted, and his gaze pinned at him. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times in shock. It was as if he could not even find the right words. He turned to the table in front of him and mumbled a “Take out your notebook”.

Hinata did as instructed; he searched his bag and took out his math notebook. Oikawa looked irked; he was offended. That much was crystal clear. _So dramatic_ , thought Hinata amused. The brunette wasn’t even looking at him; he just stared at his notebook and waited in silence, while tapping his fingers on the table.

« So touchy. » stated Hinata with a low voice. « It must be hard for Daiō-sama to be made fun of. I bet your subjects don’t dare to bully you. »

Oikawa ignored him; he grumbled and fix his hair. Now that he paid attention, Hinata noticed how beautiful Oikawa looked. His hair reminded him of chocolate; they looked like little chocolate waterfalls. He had big hazel eyes; when he was happy, they blazed like little fire flames. His skin looked smooth and soft and his lips were of a pale red; like a rose covered by snow.

« You know, it’s so funny teasing you. » laughed Hinata a little. « I should annoy you mo— »

« My patience is wearing thin, Chibi-chan. » grumbled Oikawa looking daggers at him. He looked pissed.

« Poor Oikawa-san, evil Chibi-chan hurt his feelings. » laughed Hinata amused.

Oikawa snorted and turned to him. He stared at him with a death glaze; his arms were crossed at his chest, he showed a devilish smirk and had a “You-asked-for-it” kind of face. He started to mess his hair, and Hinata rebelled under that unwanted touch. He faked to be bother, but he was having fun. Until Oikawa accidentally pressed on his wound. Hinata had retracted and his right hand flew on the plaster. He fell silent and his eyes were closed, as pain struck.

« Oh my god, I’m so sorry. » rang Oikawa worried to death. « I didn’t want to hurt you. »

Hinata sat still; his other hand covered his mouth to stifle a moan. The wound pulsated and produced a stabbing pain. Hinata held is breath for a moment, waiting that the ache passed. He, then, tried to regain some composure; he breathed in deeply and opened his eyes. They were shiny and a little red. Pain had caused him to tear up.

« You look so cute when you’re worried, _Cutiekawa_. » joked Hinata to break that heavy atmosphere.

« So much better. » laughed Oikawa, playing his game. « Such an unruly subject. I should punish you. »

« Well, not today. » said Hinata with a big smile. « You promised me dinner. Don’t think I forgot about it. » added with a sweet laugh.

« A promise is a promise. » replied the chocolate-haired one with a soft voice. « Well then, let’s start with the exercises. »

Oikawa put on his glasses and asked him about what he didn’t understand. _He’s so cute with those_ , thought Hinata when he saw. He listened to the brunette carefully and took notes. He used Yachi’s advices, and in the end, his notebook seemed less messy than usual. _I must improve in this_ , thought Hinata not fully satisfied. Since Yachi and Tsukishima had started to help him with studying, he managed his homework and exams a lot better than before.

Oikawa gave him some exercises. He had put them in order of difficulty; that was considerate. At least he got to solve some of them and don’t seem a complete idiot. He was halfway when things started to get hard. Hinata chewed his pen, staring at the exercise frustrated. He then looked at his notes and wrote something.

« You were almost there. » said Oikawa marking the errors with a red pen. « You were doing right, but you messed up here at the end. »

Oikawa never made fun of him for his struggling. He simply let him solve the exercises, and then helped him figure out what was wrong, and why. Despite his nasty behavior on the surface, he found him really helpful and caring.

« It’s obvious that you’re not stupid. » said Oikawa with a low voice. « How is it that your grades are like that? »

« Well, I didn’t even open the books. » replied Hinata extremely embarrassed. « It’s really hard for me to sit down and study. It’s just too painful to stay home and don’t play volleyball. »

Oikawa looked at him with a tender gaze, as if he felt the same pain.

« But you should study. It would help even with volleyball. » replied the brunette. « I mean, with good grades you could go around the world. Japan can’t be all you’re dreaming of, Chibi-chan. »

At first, Hinata’s face lit up. His eyes sparkled and his lips curved up and parted in a big smile. He looked at him with adoration, as if he had revealed him a great secret. Then, all the light on his face turned off suddenly.

« What? » asked the brunette with an arched brow.

« Kenma told me that he heard your number 6 say that I shouldn’t even get to be a regular and that he wished to challenge me. » mumbled Hinata with a low voice. He rested his forehead on the table. He could not face him.

« Well, it’s true that you still have a lot to learn. » started Oikawa looking serious for once. « But you found a way to play. Just show them what you can do, Chibi-chan. »

« You’re saying this just to cheer me up. » mumbled the red-haired one without even rising his head.

« Do I look like someone who sugarcoats things? » asked Oikawa irked; he crossed his arms at his chest.

Hinata slowly rose his head and sat properly. He looked at the brunette; his eyes sparkled, and his arched brow told him how annoyed he was by that last remark.

« No, y — »

The ring of his cellphone interrupted him. He tried to ignore it, but it kept ringing. He looked on the screen; it was Kageyama Tobio calling him. The red-haired one showed the screen to the brunette and gave him a clear gaze.

« Keep quiet. » said the little crow before answering. « Do you want to give me the final blow, Bakageyama? »

« No, I wanted to … » started the boy uneasy.

« You’re interrupting my math tutoring, do you want me to fail the exams? » teased Hinata, trying to suppress a laugh. He was having the time of his life.

« HINATA BOKE! » bursted the boy annoyed. « Would you shut up? I’m trying to apologize. »

« ‘kay … » said Hinata, muffling a laugh with the sleeve of his uniform’s jacket. « I’m listening. »

He looked up. For some reasons, Oikawa seemed up to something. His eyes were blazing and a smirk rose on his wet lips. _Why does he seem closer now?_ asked himself Hinata. The brunette stared at him with an amused face.

« I … I … I’m sorry. » grumbled Kageyama. It was really hard admitting being at fault.

« Sorry for what? » asked Hinata twisting the knife in the wound.

Suddenly he felt something warm on his right cheek. Before he could even look, Oikawa’s scent wafted in his nose. His hair brushed against his skin. _Are you keeping secrets, Chibi-chan?_ whispered Oikawa with a really low voice in his left ear, before biting it lightly. His lips got down on his neck; he kissed it carefully. Once, twice …

« You know for what. » said Kageyama going around it. « Does it hurt that much? »

Hinata couldn’t stifle a moan, as Oikawa started to lick the skin of his neck. It was a light touch, a gentle stroke, before sucking it a little. He looked around; no one was paying them attention. He felt it; that feeling he was craving for. _More_ , echoed a sweet voice in his head. He gulped; he suddenly felt hot and the jacket seemed too tight. He unbuttoned it with the free hand, trying to push Oikawa away. He fought back with a smirk.

« A-A little. » answered Hinata who desperately tried to regain some composure.

« What was that? » asked Kageyama suspicious.

« I’m trying to take off the jacket, but it hurts. » lied Hinata pushing Oikawa away and looking daggers at him. « I landed on the right shoulder blade; just hope I can spike again. »

« Don’t say these horrible things! » yelled Karasuno’s setter terrified. « Hurry up and heal. We don’t have forever. »

« I don’t need you to instruct me, Bakageyama. » hissed back Hinata annoyed.

That was it. Kageyama was the first to say his byes and Hinata had made it quick. Now he was looking at the brunette with fire in his eyes.

« Are you out of your mind? » asked Hinata furious.

« Payback for calling me horrible names. » teased Oikawa sticking out his tongue.

« You better earn my forgiveness through dinner. » hissed Hinata trying to look indifferent. The truth was that his heart beat faster and faster, his cheeks were as red as cherries and he was flushing, hotter and hotter. « Where are you taking me, anyway? »

« Wherever you want, Chibi-chan~. » whispered Oikawa softly in his ear.

* * *

1) "Gomen ne" means "I'm sorry" in Japanese.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So ~~~  
> Things are really building up, slowly, but the story is starting, finally!  
> Iwaizumi has a whole squad to help him figure out who's Oikawa's crush; will they achieve their goal ? What are they planning to do ?  
> Hinata is between two fires; will he get burnt in the process ? Or will he find happiness ? :D  
> I'm having so much fun writing this story. Even if things are hard in my private life, writing keeps me sane.
> 
> Did you like the chapter ? I hope you did, 'cause the next one will be interesting ... Dinner with those two, how things will go ?


	8. Jealous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa and Hinata finally manage to go to dinner together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo, I'm back!  
> I'm sorry if I kept you waiting a little longer, but I was buried with some stuff for my thesis, so I had to read and summarize all those articles, 'cause the teacher wanted them.  
> This one is going to be a whole Oikawa's point of view, so I hope you'll enjoy this. <3

Chibi-chan’s secret

Jealous

— Chapter #7 —

Oikawa Tōru

The fresh air of that summer evening brushed his pretty face and messed up his hair a little, but not even that could help him cooling off. His blood boiled in his veins like never before and his guts twisted viciously. Reading that name had been enough to summon the beast who laid within him. The fact that even _he_ could pick up the phone and chat with him so casually made him jealous; unlike himself, Kageyama could see Hinata every day. He could speak to him whenever he wanted, he could toss the ball to the little one every time they played, he could ask him to hang out if he felt like it without the fear of being rejected. It seemed that everything was always beyond his reach. Fate just kept mocking him; first by showing him a great world just to take it away from him at the last minute. He could not bear it.

_I’m tired of losing_ , thought Oikawa looking the tips of his shoes, a heavy weight started to grow in his chest. He thought it was not fair. Despite his nasty behavior, he always worked hard for everything; he studied every day, never skipped a practice session. He was the first to come and the last to leave. He was known for committing to every little thing he did. _Then why is it never enough?_ asked Oikawa to himself, before letting a sigh leave his pale red lips. The sound of his teammates’ spikes being blocked echoed in his head, every spike he missed flashed before his eyes. Kageyama, Ushijima … He already knew he was not on their level. They were geniuses after all, and, well, he was not. Now Kuroo had added to the list. The image of him squeezing Hinata in his arms popped up in his mind. His hands clenched in fists. It was not fair. _I won’t lose you to anyone else_ , thought Oikawa in utmost resolve. It was a promise.

« Could you at least pretend to listen ? » growled Hinata vexed as his hands were busy unlocking the padlock of his bicycle.

« You didn’t seem so interested in me earlier, Chibi-chan. » whined Oikawa just to tease him a little.

« That’s not true. » replied Hinata with a furrowed face. « Besides, I’m the one who gets to be angry. »

« And how’s that ? » asked the brunette playing dumb.

« You didn’t listen to a word I said until now, did you? » asked the red-haired one with a hurt gaze. « Why did you do that ? »

He was looking straight at him; his eyes were filled with curiosity and his face muscles were relaxed. He wasn’t angry at him. _Maybe a little irked_ , thought Oikawa as he started walking slowly towards him. _And now how can I elude this question ?_ thought again, one step after the other.

« Who knows ? » whispered Oikawa right in front of him. « Maybe it’s because I like you … Or perhaps I’m just messing around. » added softly so close to his lips.

« You’re doing it again! » whined the little crow crossing his arms at his chest in defense. « Is it always all a joke to you? »

« Is it always all so serious to you ? » echoed back the pretty boy with a smug attitude, stroking gently Hinata’s cheek.

« You’re just messing with me. » said Hinata pushing his hand away from his cheek, which now was as red as an apple.

« If I’ll ever start messing with you for real, you’ll know it. » whispered the brunette rising the boy’s chin with his fingers and looking him in the eyes. « Trust me. »

The red-haired one looked away; he was blushing and torturing his sleeves. _He’s just so easy to tease, it’s not my fault_ , thought Oikawa starting to feel a little guilty for making him feel uneasy around him. He just loved to see him blushing and nervously looking away.

« Ah! You’re impossible! » whined Hinata with his palm on his face. « Can you stop doing embarrassing things in public? » added the boy retreating a little.

« So, if I do them in private it’s okay ? » asked the brunette with a smirk on his lips. « I’ll try my best, then~, but Chibi-chan, you shouldn’t say this kind of things to a man. »

« That’s not what I meant! » burst out the little one with his cheeks on fire and his eyes completely widened. « Stop fooling around. »

« Well then, I’ll stop on one condition. » exclaimed Oikawa suddenly serious.

« What now ? » asked Hinata before sighing, totally exhausted from the bickering.

« Look me in the eyes and tell me you didn’t like it. » commanded Oikawa looking genuine for once. « If you really feel that way, I won’t do it ever again. I promise. » added looking straight in his eyes, with one hand on his hip, stressing that “ever” with emphasis.

The little boy’s face was undecipherable. First, he looked shocked; his eyes were wide opened, and his lips parted. Then, his face was warped in horror and at last, his brows were furrowed, and his lips closed.

« I … I … » started the youngling torturing his right sleeve and biting his lower lip. « This is stupid. » said at last annoyed.

_So, you can’t say it, huh ?_ thought Oikawa extremely pleased; his heart started to pound, the weight on his chest had been lifted and he felt the urge to hug him. It took him all of his strengths to restrain himself from dragging the boy in his arms and squeeze him. _I’m so pathetic_ , thought the brunette as he realized how he had ended up. _I was depressed just a moment ago, and now I feel I could fly just because he didn’t want me to stop teasing for real_ , thought again Oikawa, a little embarrassed.

« You liked it. » said the brunette grinning as smug as he could be. « Just admit it. »

« That’s not the point! » hissed Hinata grabbing the bike’s handlebars. « You can’t just go and do stuff like _that_. »

« And why is that ? » asked Oikawa completely oblivious, as if it weren’t a big deal.

« Why? Because it’s embarrassing! » replied the little red-haired one upset. « And it’s not like we’re together … » added the boy looking away, as his cheeks flushed.

The brunette froze on the spot and his face looked pale. His heart was pounding, while his lungs couldn’t get air. For a moment, he couldn’t breathe. That last comment felt as if a knife was stabbing his heart. It hurt. It really did. _Well, I kinda asked for it_ , thought Oikawa gulping, even though his throat stung.

« You say it as if it would be a bad thing, Chibi-chan~. » said the brunette with a joking tone, pretending it didn’t hurt him at all. « A lot of people would love it, you know ? »

« Just because they don’t know you! » laughed the youngling with all his lungs. « Anyway, we should head to dinner. »

« Yeah, come on … I know a place. » said Oikawa, heading towards the city center.

He could feel Hinata’s eyes digging a hole on the back of his head. His steps were incredibly light, but he could hear the wheels of his bike. The boy had fallen silent; it was the first time he saw him so quiet _. I must have been too harsh_ , thought the brunette as he walked. He could not help but to feel guilty, because he knew Hinata didn’t mean anything bad with it. It was just the truth, but nonetheless it hurt.

« So, what’s my favorite colour ? » asked Oikawa finally looking back at the boy.

Hinata immediately looked up; he stared at him a little, and then looked back down again. He could see embarrassment in his pretty face. The brunette had asked it on purpose, just to make a point, but seeing him so dejected made his heart ache a little.

« I don’t know. » replied Hinata with a low tone.

« What’s my favorite food ? » asked Oikawa looking straight ahead.

He knew Hinata could not answer his questions because he didn’t know him enough to know, but he was determined to make a point. Hinata judged him just from his external behavior, but he didn’t know him. That he could not accept. _If I really have to get rejected, at least let it be the real me_ , thought Oikawa staring at the street ahead.

« I don’t know. » answered the red haired one looking down.

« So, you don’t know me too. » said Oikawa with a neutral tone. It was a statement.

They slowly walked in silence. Hinata followed him quietly; he didn’t have the courage to speak after that. On the other hand, Oikawa was restraining himself to turn to him and reassure him that he wasn’t mad, but his pride prevented him from doing it.

He turned on his right and stopped in front of a building. It was very charming; it seemed to be a traditional restaurant. There were chōchin on the outside; they were the traditional Japanese lanterns, spiral and made of paper. The little building’s main façade was decorated with bamboo and two little bonsai threes. Hinata looked amazed; he stared at it mesmerized.

Then, the boy secured his bicycle somewhere near and slowly walked back to him. He just looked down and never dared to take a peek. Oikawa felt bad; his heart was pounding so hard, that he thought it could rip his chest apart. He just wanted to run and hug him tightly. A light grip on his uniform’s jacket took him back to reality; Hinata was clinging to it.

« I said a really rude thing earlier … I’m sorry, Oikawa-san. » whispered the red-haired boy finally looking him in the eyes. His cheeks were on fire.

_That’s so not fair_ , thought the brunette as his heart skipped a beat. The youngling stared at him with a worried gaze, clinging to his sleeve and never letting go. _What kind of sorcery is this ?_ asked Oikawa to himself terrified. How could a small gesture like that one make his heart feel so light ? How could he turn from desperate to happy so fast ?

« Don’t worry, I forgive you. » replied the brunette with a tender look, messing up his hair. « Come on, the food is delicious. »

The little boy nodded and followed him. They crossed the street carefully and entered the restaurant. They were welcomed by a sweet scent; fragrant candles were here and there. The place looked warm and cozy.

« Oh, Tōru-chan! This is really a nice surprise! » said a warm low voice in front of them.

« Ojiichan1! » greeted Oikawa politely with a little bow.

« I haven’t seen you in ages. » replied the old man a little disappointed. « I bet you’re still into volleyball. »

« I can’t help it! » laughed Oikawa genuinely.

« Oh, you’re not here with Iwaizumi-kun ? » asked the old man rhetorically as he laid his gaze on Hinata. « That’s a news. » added with a smirk.

« Well, as you see he’s in a bad shape. » explained Oikawa pointing to Hinata’s head. « I just thought you were the only one who could make him recover quickly. »

« No need to say more! Ojiichan will take care of this. » exclaimed the old man suddenly fired up.

He guided them into a quiet space; it was a traditional Japanese room. There was a low wooden table at the center of the tatami and two little kyousoku, traditional Japanese little chairs, with zabuton in the middle, the sitting cushions. The room had a warm atmosphere; there were candles, lanterns, and painting as decoration. There were even little plants in the corners.

They sat one in front of the other and decided to order and share everything, in order to try more things. He wasn’t really interested in the food; he had been in there so many times, that it became home eventually. He couldn’t look away from the little boy in front of him; he looked excited. His big eyes bounced everywhere. _He’s so cute_ , thought Oikawa without even noticing.

« Ne, Oikawa-san … » started Hinata with a low voice. « You didn’t have to bother so much for my birthday, but I really appreciate it. Thank you. »

The boy had spoken those words so softly that it seemed a dream to him. It had been a long time since someone spoke to him so sincerely. Hinata was a constant surprise; he was cheerful, passionate, genuine … _And brave_ , thought Oikawa lost in his thoughts. He was never afraid to say what was on his mind, even if it could hurt. _That’s why I like him_ , thought Oikawa spontaneously, but before he could realize it, he was already blushing.

« I would have liked to go shopping and buy you a gift, but I didn’t have the chance. » explained Oikawa exposing himself a little more than usual. « So, dinner was the least I could do. Happy Birthday, Shō … -chan. »

_That was so close_ , thought the brunette flushing even harder. He had almost called him by his first name only. _What’s wrong with me ? I can sexually tease him but calling him by his name is beyond me ?_ asked Oikawa to himself. He felt even dumber as he realized it. It was absurd. How could he be so afraid to say his name?

_Running away as always, Tōru ?_ asked softly a voice in his head.

_I’m not running away_ , thought Oikawa irked. He told himself he was just not used to it yet. It wasn’t like he could start to call him by his name, pretending that they were that close. Calling someone by his first name was something intimate, he couldn’t do it. Not yet. His hand combed his hair, as it could brush away those awful thoughts.

_You whispered a pretty name under your bed sheets once,_ sang again the sweet voice in his mind. _Afraid to get heartbroken again, Tōru ?_

That stung hard. His whole body had frozen on the spot. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t breathe. Thoughts had started to bounce one after the other in his head, making the whole room spin. His heart was racing so fast, he thought he could throw it up.

« Oikawa-san, are you okay ? » asked Hinata worried, his big eyes stared at him anxiously.

« It’s … a little too hot here. » replied Oikawa blushing. « I’ll go freshen up. »

He didn’t even wait for a reply. He got up and walked out of the room without looking back. Once he found the bathroom, he locked himself in and clung to the sink desperately. A distinct thought formed in his head. It had been almost two years before. He remembered that moment clearly.

It was the first time they drank alcohol in their life. A couple of glasses had been enough to turn the entire group in untamable beasts. They had gone so wild that they got thrown out of the party by some upper classmates and the only thing they had been able to do was laugh at it. He could not remember how he got home without a scratch, but he did.

The house was empty; his parents had set off for work and his sister already lived together with his fiancée. He was in his big empty house, all alone as always, but that time was different. That time hadn’t been alone. They had climbed up the stairs and got in his room, but he had to cling to him, because the whole room was spinning.

« You’re such a mess. » had said the boy with a laugh.

« But I’m still prettier than you. » had replied back Oikawa proudly.

He had pushed him a little, but Oikawa had fallen onto his bed, dragging the boy with him. They boy’s lips were so close to his own that he could feel his breath shatter on his skin. He had looked up, just to meet his big brown eyes staring at him. He hadn’t been able to resist the urge. The brunette had cancelled the distance between them as he pressed his lips against the boy’s ones.

« We shouldn’t. »

« I know. »

He had kissed him again. His tongue had danced with his friend’s in his warm mouth, as their hands explored their bodies. He could feel the boy’s hard member rubbing against his; he had wanted it so badly. His hand had slipped in the boy’s underwear, his fingers curled gently around his shaft and started to move carefully, slowly up and down.

« If you keep … I … I won’t be able to stop … » had murmured the boy trying to fight the pleasure.

The brunette had smirked, and his hand had started to move faster. His lips had kissed the boy’s neck once, twice … Then, he had started to suck his skin hard until it turned purple. The boy couldn’t fight back anymore; he stripped the setter and before he had realized it, the boy’s lips brushed his hard member’s skin gently. The setter’s hands had grabbed the sheets and he had clung to them as he received pleasure. The boy’s tongue had made him crazy. He had never felt anything like that before.

He had turned their positions and let his tongue explore the boy’s body; he had licked his neck, then he got on his chest. He had kissed it, licked it, sucked it. He got even lower and let his tongue play for a while. He licked all his hard length, from the base until the top, and started all over again, before taking it all into his mouth and sucking it hard.

« I can’t wait anymore. » had whispered the boy, before grabbing him and pushing him gently under his body. The boy had placed himself between his legs.

« Do it … » had begged Oikawa in pleasure.

« It’s your first time with a boy … » had replied the friend. « Are you sure ? »

« I could say the same for you. » had said Oikawa irked.

They had sex before; it had been with their girlfriends, but it was the first time they would experience sex with a boy. Oikawa had gasped as a wet finger entered him. It had been weird; it wasn’t bad, just new. The boy had started to move carefully, adding another one inside him when Oikawa finally relaxed under his touch.

He could still remember how good it felt. His hand squeezed the sink even harder, as memories stabbed his heart. _Why ? Why do I have to remember this now after all this time ?_ thought Oikawa as tears streamed on his face.

The thoughts took over once again. The boy had let another finger inside him and moved gently. It had been damn good. Oikawa’s breath had turned laboured as pleasure had conquered him. It wasn’t enough anymore; he had wanted more.

Finally, the boy had stopped. The sudden feeling of emptiness made him grumble in complain, but he hadn’t to wait long. The boy had let himself inside him; it had been just the top, but it had been enough to make him shiver. They had stayed still, looking at each other until it didn’t hurt anymore. The boy had sunk inside him deeper, until he filled him up. He had grabbed Oikawa’s hips as he started to move faster, harder. The brunette’s nails had sunk in the boy’s back, scratching him as pleasure consumed him.

« You really are the prettiest. » had laughed the boy as they reached the peak of the pleasure and filled him with his warm seed.

He had fallen on the brunette afterwards. Oikawa had tied his arms around him and hugged him in silence. It had been the first time he had let someone inside him. They were drunk, and it had been just a fuck. The next day they acted as nothing had happened and never spoke about it.

_How could we share something so important and let it matter so little ?_ thought Oikawa as memories tormented him. His breath became heavier and tears fell from his face and shattered on the sink. He had wasted it.

_You remember the pretty name_ , sang softly the little voice in his head.

« Ha— » whispered Oikawa automatically, stopping before he could finish it.

_Are you afraid to get heartbroken again ?_ asked the soft voice in a whisper. _Or are you afraid to break his heart instead ?_

He opened the tap and let cold water flow, before cupping his hands, filling them with water and clean his face with it. He let it wash away his pain and gently dried himself with some paper tissues. He breathed in deeply a few times before unlocking the door and return to the room.

He walked slowly, with his smirk on his lips, as nothing even happened. Hinata was so absorbed with something on his phone, that he didn’t hear him when he stopped behind him. He was replying to some comments under a picture he had been tagged on his Instagram.

“@kodzuken I can’t believe you posted them! I’m so dead.” had typed Hinata before looking at the pictures.

Oikawa could see them clearly. In one of them, Hinata was between the two Nekoma’s players, wearing their jersey. They were smiling and Kuroo’s left hand was on Hinata’s waist. On the other picture, there were only him and the little sneaky setter. The latter had laid his arm on Hinata’s shoulders and looked at the camera with a smug face.

Oikawa’s guts twisted viciously. Just seeing him in someone else’s arms made his blood boil in his veins. He couldn’t stand it. He wished he could say that Hinata was his and that they should stay away from him, but he couldn’t, because Hinata wasn’t his boyfriend. The boy didn’t even know how he felt for him yet.

Another comment popped up. It was sent by the user “karasutobio”. _One day I’ll kill this brat_ , thought Oikawa as he was reaching the limits of his patience. First, he interrupted their tutoring, then he popped up again during their dinner.

“@hinashoyo SHOYO BOKE! What are you doing in Nekoma’s jersey ?!”

« So, how should I punish you this time, Chibi-chan ? » whispered Oikawa softly in his ear.

Hinata jumped in his spot a little for the fright. He looked back and meet his annoyed gaze, before looking away as he blushed. The brunette got up and sat back at his place in front of him. The table was full of food. Hinata must have waited for him. That thought made his heart melt a little.

« It’s your fault. You brought it on yourself. » replied Hinata timidly.

« And how’s that ? » asked Oikawa extremely irked.

« You texted me when you knew they would sleep at my place. » said Hinata biting his lower lips embarrassed.

« So what ? It’s not my fault that my free day was today. » replied back Oikawa crossing his arms at his chest.

Hinata was right. He had texted him on purpose, because the thought that he would be around them all the time that evening made his heart ache too much. He hadn’t been able to restrain himself. He couldn’t stand the thought of not knowing how much time had to pass before he could see him again, before he could speak to him, tease him, touch him. Knowing he would sleep in the same room with someone else made him mad. What if they slept in the same bed ? It wasn’t impossible; he had found a way to sleep with him, so why couldn’t Kuroo ?

« I don’t see how I deserve punishment. You already have a picture of me in your jersey. » reminded him Hinata in an embarrassed whisper, taking his jacket off.

In that moment he noticed it. There was a bracelet around his wrist. _Is it new ?_ thought Oikawa to himself. He didn’t have proofs, but he knew. Somehow, he knew who gave it to him and it was enough to piss him off.

« Nice bracelet, is it new ? » asked Oikawa with a smile.

It was true that it was a nice bracelet, he wouldn’t deny it. He wasn’t so immature to say something that would hurt him just because he was jealous. He was many things, but he wasn’t selfish. He could be described as narcissist, perfectionist, possessive, nasty and other things, but neither selfish nor a cold-hearted bastard.

« Yes … » admitted Hinata looking away. « It was a birthday present from Kuroo … »

It had been like a slap right in his face. He knew, nonetheless it didn’t hurt less. On the contrary, it stung really badly. He wished he could take the damn thing off his wrist and break it in a million of pieces. His heart was racing, and a heavy weight crushed his chest. Their hands were almost touching on the table; how could they be so close, and yet so far ? He wonder what he had done to deserve such punishment. How could his hand almost brush the little boy’s one, and yet he could not hold it ? It was a living hell.

« You should wear it, it really suits you. » said Oikawa softly with a smile.

He had tried to act casually and not to make him feel uneasy, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel positive. He just felt sad. As time passed, he felt even more far away from him and it was painful. He was really trying his best, but nothing seemed to work. What could he do to win his heart ? Was there even a chance Hinata could like him ? It was the first time he had doubts about it.

« Can we eat ? I waited until now because we’re dining together and I didn’t want to start without you, but I can’t resist anymore, I’m starving. » whispered Hinata extremely embarrassed.

Oikawa looked at him with a tender gaze; he was so sweet that he cured his pain. Even the tiniest thing was enough to make him feel better, if it were done by Hinata. It seemed that the red-haired one could make him either the happiest man on Earth, or the saddest. _If Iwa-chan knew, he would make fun of me forever_ , thought Oikawa shivering at the thought.

« Of course! I’m sorry I kept you waiting. » replied Oikawa with a sorry look.

They started to eat, sharing everything that was on the table. Hinata thanked him at every thing he tried, saying it was all delicious. His eyes were sparkling with joy and a big smile was on his face. He even had regained color and looked so much better than before. Seeing him so cheered up, made hunger come back. He ate with pleasure.

« So … What’s your favorite food ? » asked Hinata blushing a little.

« Milk bread, I couldn’t live without it. » replied Oikawa suddenly excited. « Why ? »

« You were right before … I don’t know you. » started the boy accurately avoiding eye contact. « But I’d like to know you a little more. » said almost in a whisper, as his cheeks flushed.

_What is this ? Heaven ?_ thought Oikawa as he felt suddenly light and his heart warmer. Was it possible that Hinata was at least a little interested in him ? Maybe he didn’t like him yet, but it was good that he wanted to know him better, right ? Those thoughts cheered him up a little.

« You can ask me whatever you want, Chibi-chan~ » replied cheerfully Oikawa finally back to his normal self.

« When is your birthday ? » asked the little crow with a shy smile.

« I was born on July 20th, 1994. » replied the brunette with a genuine smile.

Hinata took out his phone and typed something in it. Oikawa looked at him confused.

« I’m really bad with remembering dates. » replied Hinata scratching his nape lightly. « I wrote it down, so I won’t forget your birthday. » added with a shy smile.

« You’re so sweet, Chibi-chan. » said Oikawa softly without even realizing it.

« Cut it … It’s embarrassing! » replied Hinata blushing.

« You’re not eating this ? » asked surprised Oikawa as his look fell onto the youngling’s plate.

« It doesn’t look so good … » admitted the boy looking at it with a furrowed face.

« It’s delicious, trust me! » said Oikawa taking a small portion of that with his chopstick and bringing it to his mouth. « Come on, open your mouth already! »

Hinata had closed his eyes hard and opened his mouth reluctantly; Oikawa brought the food in his mouth and let it taste it. He was about to ask his opinion, but realization struck. _OH MY GOD, I’m spoon-feeding him now_ , thought Oikawa thrilled. _Maybe Kami-sama doesn’t hate me so badly_.

The red-haired one opened his eyes quickly and stared at him with sparkles in his eyes; he was happy, he knew that much. He kept chewing for a while, then swallowed and drink a glass of water.

« You were so right, it’s so good, Tō..ru _-kun_? » said Hinata initially over the moon, but ending the phrase extremely embarrassed.

His cheeks were on fire and he nervously looked at him, just to look away right after. It was clear he didn’t mean to call him by his first name, but he ended up saying it out loud. His heart was pounding so hard, he thought he was going to have a cardiac arrest. _I’m going to die as a happy man after all_ , thought Oikawa as he accepted his fate gracefully.

« I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it! » apologized Hinata before he could say something. « You’re a senpai, I shouldn’t call you that, I’m not that close to you. » added looking extremely worried.

« You can call me that, I like it. » replied softly Oikawa with a bright smile.

Hinata stared at him a little with widened eyes, but he eventually gave in and nodded lightly with his head. That day had been so crazy, it was almost like being on a rollercoaster. He kept being thrown up and down; from depressed, to happy. He couldn’t say if things were really looking good for him, but he felt good, and that was all that mattered to him.

« So … T-T-To … Oikawa-san. » said Hinata, trying to get his attention, as he kept eating as a way to distract himself and not die for the embarrassment.

« What about my new nickname ? » asked Oikawa in a cute complain.

« Cut it! It’s too embarrassing for now … » admitted Hinata who couldn’t bring himself to look at him.

« Okay, but I expect you to use it sometimes … » said Oikawa bargaining a little. The little one nodded without looking. « What were you going to ask me ? »

« Are you free on Sunday ? » asked the little crow with his cheeks as red as cherries. « I’d like you to help me studying again … You’ve been really helpful. »

His heart had stopped. He was sure of it. He must be dead or something, and be in heaven, because there was no way it could be happening to him. Or that was what he thought on the spot. _Oh my god, I’m so lucky_ , thought Oikawa staring at him like a little child who had just received a lollipop. _This is my chance, I can’t ruin it_ , thought Oikawa terrified to death by just thinking about the possibility that he could end things before they could even start.

« Of course! » replied promptly the brunette with a big smile. « I have practice in the morning, but we can meet in the afternoon. »

Hinata had shyly murmured a “thank you” and looked away. Oikawa smiled a little as he found it the most beautiful thing ever. There was no way he could deny his feelings for the boy anymore; he had fallen for him instantly and as he got to know him more, he couldn’t help but falling in love even more with him. The thought of liking someone again that much terrified him because he knew how much it would hurt if he got rejected, but he didn’t want to run away this time. I’ll fight for it, thought Oikawa proudly. He would never feel so bad about himself.

The rest of the dinner was a delight; Hinata had found his chatting mood and Oikawa listened and replied to all his questions in a cheerful way. They ate all the food and even went for the dessert; Oikawa had insisted that a birthday dinner demanded a cake, so they shared a slice of cheesecake as they were both full.

Oikawa took care of the bill and helped Hinata prepared to go out. He had forced him to put on his jacket, as cold air could make him feel bad, as they had just finished to eat. He didn’t even realize that he had taken his hand into his own’ and carried him outside.

« Chibi-chan, you should be more careful, this could have been even worse. » said Oikawa leaning forward and putting his hair aside, as he checked the medication on his head. It was still clean. « Promise me you’ll be careful. » said with a low voice totally serious.

« I didn’t do anything, it was Bakageyama’s fault! » complained the red-haired one.

« I’m being serious now, Shō …-chan. » said Oikawa staring at him, almost saying his name again.

« I … I promise. » said Hinata looking him in the eyes and blushing.

« Good! » rang the brunette satisfied.

Hinata gently grabbed the sleeve of his jacket and clung to it. He was looking down at the tips of his feet, almost as if he were gathering all the courage he had, in order to say something he was embarrassed to say. Oikawa looked at him with a tender gaze and stood there in silence, waiting for him to do what he wanted.

« I really meant it before … » started Hinata without looking him. « Thank you for the tutoring and this lovely dinner. I don’t think I deserved it, but I’m really grateful. » said softly finally looking at him.

His cheeks were as red as fire and he was about to tease him about it, when his arms wrapped his waist and he buried his face in his chest. It was a hug. It was the first time Hinata hugged him and in that moment, he knew what real happiness felt like. He let his arms tied around him and held him tightly _. You’re trying to earn my forgiveness for making me jealous with the pictures and the bracelet, huh? So, you knew I was annoyed_ , thought Oikawa amused. _Nicely done_. It had been the best hug in his life. After a while they let go.

« I’ll go get the bike. » said Hinata extremely embarrassed.

« Wait! » exclaimed Oikawa, clinging to his jacket’s sleeve. « I … I was wondering if you would like to hang out or something … Sunday … After the studying. »

« What ? » asked Hinata turning back and looking at him. He was just confused.

« I asked you if you wanted to hang out. » replied Oikawa feeling embarrassed like never before.

« I know what it means! I was asking if you already had any ideas. » replied Hinata blushing.

« Well, we could go to the movies or the arcades, or go shopping … » blurted the brunette nervously. « I don’t know, something like that … Just ha— »

« Hang? » said the red-haired one tilting his head on the right side and looking at him with a smirk.

« Exactly. » said Oikawa blushing lightly. That was a first. He could not even remember the last time he got as embarrassed and nervous for his crush. _My god, I have a crush, my teammates would piss themselves for the laughs_ , thought Oikawa looking away irked.

_Anyway, is this bastard enjoying it, right ?_ thought Oikawa annoyed. Even little Shōyō was teasing him now. It was not like him to act so nervously and being afraid to ask him out. _Even I would laugh at me, I’m acting like an idiot_ , admitted the brunette to himself.

« So ? » asked Oikawa looking anxiously at the boy.

« So what ? » asked back Hinata looking confused.

« Are we going to hang out or not ? » asked more directly Oikawa crossing his arms to his chest annoyed.

« Yeah, we’ll hang out. » laughed Hinata genuinely amused. « I asked you if you had ideas, I thought it was clear I was accepting. » added with a smirk.

« Right. » replied Oikawa annoyed. It wasn’t fun being made fun of. He felt so exposed, it felt even more vexing than it was.

The smirk on Hinata’s face faded away and he looked away. It was weird. Suddenly his skin was pale, and his face muscles were contracted in a grimace. Was he still teasing ? It didn’t look that way. Oikawa leaned closer and looked at him worried.

« Are you okay ? » asked Oikawa scrutinizing him closely.

« I … I — » started to say Hinata, just to bring a hand on his head and close his eyes hard. « It hurt a little before, but not this much. » added clinging with the free hand on the brunette’s jacket.

For a moment, he couldn’t breathe. Oikawa hugged him instinctively and held him tightly in his arms as he thought about what he had to do. His heart was pounding, and his hands had started to shake. Finally, he decided to take his phone off the pocket and made a call.

« Mom ? » said the boy with panic in his voice.

« Sweetie, are you okay ? » asked the woman worried to death.

« I don’t know. I mean, I’m okay, Hinata’s the one who’s not okay. » replied Oikawa confused. « Can you pick me up? »

The call had been quick. The woman had been very calm and handled the situation gracefully, as she manage to get the informations she needed and to reassure him in the meantime. _It’s going to be okay_ , thought Oikawa to himself. It was not reassuring at all. _Damn Kageyama, I hate you_.

He just stood there, holding him tightly in his arms as he clung to him with his little claws, as if he were a little kitten. He would have normally loved it and teased him about it, but now he couldn’t even think about joking.

« But what about the bike ? How will I get to school ? » asked Hinata moving in his arms.

« Forget about that damn bike and forget about school! You’re resting at home tomorrow. » replied Oikawa shocked. « I’ll skip my lessons if it’ll be necessary. Someone has to make sure you won’t do stupid things after all. »

« But my precious bike … My dad’s gave it to me. » murmured Hinata with a sad tone.

« Don’t worry, I’ll tell Ojiichan to keep it and I’ll bring it back one of these days, okay ? » proposed Oikawa gently combing his hair with his fingers.

Hinata nodded a little and buried his face in his chest. He must have really been in pain, as he had wet his shirt with tears. _He probably didn’t want me to see him cry_ , thought Oikawa holding him even more tightly. He felt bad, as he couldn’t do anything to make him feel better.

_Please, hurry_ , thought Oikawa closing his eyes and breathing in slowly.

* * *

1) Ojiichan means "grandpa" in japanese. He's not really Oikawa's granpa, but he calls him that, 'cause they know each other since he was a kid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa can't deny his feeling anymore, huh ? This is so fun to write, I hope you're having as much fun as me reading this story!  
> Things are starting to take shape, so the story will start to go a little faster now that all the basic elements got explained and described as they should be!
> 
> What do you think it will happen next ? Is Hinata going to be okay ? What would you like to happen ? Let me know! <3


	9. Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa doesn't show up at school and Iwaizumi worries about him, but things quickly go downhill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there!  
> I hope you're all safe and sound! I'm finally back with an entire Iwaizumi's chapter. It had to be a Iwaizumi and Hinata's chapter, but there was too much to say about what's going on with Oikawa & Friends.  
> I've already started to write the Hinata's chapter and I think I'll be able to post it in a few days!
> 
> I hope that you'll enjoy it! Let me know what you think <3

Chibi-chan’s secret

Broken

— Chapter #8 —

Iwaizumi Hajime

The sweet scent of freshly baked bread cuddled him in that cool morning. He sat at the table still a little numb; he was sleeping so pleasantly, that he would have loved to lay under the blankets for a little longer. However, since it was a school day, he reluctantly had to get up and get ready for another long day. He had slowly walked out of his house and headed to the meeting’s place. That’s how he ended up at Obachan’s bakery.

_He’s late_ , thought Iwaizumi as he laid his eyes on the old wall clock right in front of him; it was 7:15am. It wasn’t like Oikawa to show up late to an appointment, especially if he was the one who had set it up. _I swear, if he’s in bed crying for his stupid crush, I’ll give him a good beating this time_ , thought the boy annoyed. He didn’t have anything against it, but it was becoming a problem. They were third years, they could not lose focus, since their future depended on the results they would get. Oikawa had worked so hard to get in a good college and, maybe, go abroad. He couldn’t let him sabotage himself in such peculiar times.

**Whatsapp**.

 **Iwaizumi Hajime** : “You made me get up earlier just to have breakfast with you, it would have been nice if you actually got your ass over here, Shittykawa.”

A little ring woke him up from his thoughts, as the door opened and made the little bell sing. His eyes immediately looked up, expecting to see the brunette finally walking in, but it hadn’t been him. A young lady entered hand in hand with a kid. The little one’s eyes sparkled, as he had already caught the object of his desires; milk bread. He got closer to the showcase and pressed his hands on it, staring at his beloved sweet snack. _This brings up memories_ , thought Iwaizumi as a sweet smile rose on his face.

The more he looked at the kid, the more the little one transformed into a mini Oikawa; his innocence, his sparkling eyes, his love for sweet things reminded him of his friend, his best friend. He would never admit it, not even under torture, but the brunette really was the best friend he could hope to have. The memories had already taken over, without him even realizing it.

He was taken aback, as he was brought to the moment Oikawa took him to Obachan’s for the first time. It had happened so long before, he couldn’t even remember the exact year anymore. They had to be in grade school. It was a summer day, he was sure of that. The little devil had showed up at his house, demanding that he followed him without asking questions, which he did not, displeasing him.

« Iwa-chan, you don’t get to ask questions when you get a surprise. » had said the little aspiring dictator. « Now stop being so unruly and follow me. » had added with a determined gaze and a hand on his hip.

He had no choice but to comply, as the brunette had taken him by hand and dragged him across the whole town and had let go just when they got in front of the place. They had crossed the street and Oikawa had run to the shop window. The lights were off, and a little signpost said, “I’ll be right back”. The boy’s lips had curved down and he had put up a pout. Then, he had got closer to the window, pressed his hands on it and stared inside. Oikawa hadn’t moved from the window for even a second. He, however, had sat on the little steps in front of the shop’s door.

« You didn’t think I would abandon you, did you Tōru-chan ? » had said an old chubby woman with a sweet soft voice.

« Obachan! » had rang Oikawa turning around and running to her side. « You’re back! »

« Of course, I’m back, I just had to go to the groceries store. » had explained the woman with a tender look.

« Look! I brought him this time. » had said Oikawa proudly clinging to him and showing him off with an adoring gaze.

« Oh! You must be Iwa-chan! » had said the woman with a sweet smile, bending a little and proceeding to introduce herself.

She then had opened her shop and let them inside. Oikawa had bolted to the showcase, pressing himself against it staring at the sweets with absolute adoration in his sparkling eyes. He had turned around, just to look at him and say “Iwa-chan, come on! Look!”. He had gotten closer and he finally saw what it was all about. The mini Oikawa had treated him with some milk bread, and they had watched old pro games with the granny. That’s how he got to know the woman and how he got to taste her delicious sweets.

_I can’t believe we’ve been friends for so long_ , thought Iwaizumi completely lost in his memories. Oikawa had been the brother he never had; they had instantly clicked. It was all thanks to Oikawa, though, since he was so easygoing and, at times, even nosy. He had decided they had to become friends, and in a blink of an eye they were inseparable. Now that he thought about it, it was Oikawa to take the decisions; he preferred to be the supportive one. He just couldn’t say no to him, he could not stand to see his pretty face turn sad.

_The nostalgia is already hitting, huh_ ? thought the boy unconsciously tapping nervously on the table. It seemed that they had to get separated at last. He wanted to study architecture and had already spotted a good university in Tokyo, as for Oikawa … Well, Tokyo wouldn’t be enough to satisfy him. The brunette had told him about his plans, he was considering joining a pro league outside of Japan. _Our last year_ …, that thought pierced through his heart, making it bleed.

A gentle touch woke him up from the past. It was Obachan; the woman was looking at him concerned. He must have been too absorbed with his thoughts to even notice her. He looked around disoriented; the woman and the kid weren’t there anymore. There was an old man at the counter, but there was no Oikawa around. _The bastard stood me up_ , thought Iwaizumi irked.

« Iwa-chan, it’s already 7:30. » said the woman softly. « Finish your breakfast, otherwise you won’t have enough energies! »

He nodded and obeyed right away. At least he consoled himself with the sweets. Every bite brought him so much joy. He finished his fresh-squeezed orange juice, letting it refresh him from those sad thoughts. His eyes lingered on the milk bread in the little plate in front of him. He sighed a little.

« Don’t worry, I’ll arrange a doggy bag. » said the woman anticipating his doubts.

« The _dog_ doesn’t deserve it. » replied Iwaizumi stinging.

The woman smiled a little and gave him an empathetic look; even she knew what was going on. She didn’t speak or asked about it, but she knew. It was just the same as always; Oikawa did what he wanted, and he, well, he cleaned after his messes. It had always been like that, so why was it so annoying now ?

He paid the check and walked out of the bakery forcing a smile as he waved his bye at the old woman. He took out his phone from the pocket and checked the chat; Oikawa hadn’t read the text yet. The last time he had logged in was at 3:58am. _What was he doing up that late_ ? asked himself Iwaizumi concerned. Oikawa was pretty meticulous and severe on his sleeping schedule on week days. He wouldn’t stay up late. _Usually_ , sang softly a voice in his head. _But since he got himself a crush, he has been acting weird, hasn’t he_? continued the little voice.

It was with those kinds of thoughts that he entered on school perimeter. He looked around, almost expecting to see him popping up with a puppy gaze, ready to apologize and make him feel so bad for being mad at him, to just forgive him on the spot, but he wasn’t there. Oikawa wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

He reluctantly got inside, changed his footwear and headed to his class. He walked in by now totally disenchanted by the possibility to find him there, and he was right. Matsukawa and Hanamaki had waved their _Ohayo_ , to whom he waved back. They hadn’t wasted time in asking questions, as they had already noticed their captain was missing. Iwaizumi had simply shrugged his shoulders and sat down at his place.

Time went by quickly, but there was still no trace of Oikawa. The professor entered the classroom holding tightly on to his handbag. She greeted them with her usual invigorating way, then he proceeded doing the roll call. Oikawa was officially skipping class.

He could not even remember the last time it happened. Oikawa never missed a class, nor a practice session. Iwaizumi recalled that one time Oikawa had showed up for the English reviewing class despite the high fever. _Something’s off_ , thought Iwaizumi now feeling fear conquering him inch by inch. His guts suddenly twisted, as if he had taken a punch right in the stomach. He didn’t even think twice about it; he stealthily took out of the pocket the phone, laying it on his thigh and started typing, trying not to look suspicious.

**Whatsapp**.

 **Iwaizumi Hajime** : “U okay ?”

He didn’t even look at it. He simply sent the text, hoping it was something comprehensible, then put it back into his pocket. His hands resumed taking notes, but his head was miles away from that place. He just could not let go. The thought that something bad could have happened tortured him. What if Oikawa needed him ? _That’s it, isn’t it_ ? asked a little voice in his head. _You wish he still needed you in his life_ , sang softly the voice.

He shook lightly his head, pushing those thoughts far away. Oikawa had decided to cut him out of his life, and there was nothing he could do to make him change his mind. It was not even right to do; at that point, all he could do was accept his decision and try to support him in the shadow, like he had always done before. _He doesn’t need me anymore_ , thought Iwaizumi sighing a little.

The bell which marked the end of the first class brought him back to reality. The literature class had already come to an end without him having even really followed half of it. His hand flew inside the pocket, pulling out the phone and checking the chat again. Oikawa hadn’t logged in from 3:58am.

« Oikawa-kun! Good Morning! » screeched some of the girls in the front.

He immediately looked up. He wasn’t dreaming; Oikawa was really there. He slowly dragged himself faintly. The brunette looked worn-out; his face was pale, and he had bags under his eyes. He let himself fall down on his chair, before resting his head on his desk, closing his eyes. _What the hell have you been through_? thought Iwaizumi shocked to see him reduced to that state. However, he didn’t get the chance to ask him, since the next professor came in and started the lesson without wasting any time.

The morning went by slowly; Oikawa had struggled to keep up with their classes and managed to take even less of the half of the notes he should have taken. Iwaizumi, on the other hand, had tried his best to follow and make sure to mark those words on the paper. It was the least he could do for him since he was not in the conditions to take notes himself. The class started to empty out. Hanamaki and Matsukawa had pulled their desks closer and started to eat their lunches, leaving the inconvenience to handle their captain to Iwaizumi.

« Here … » said finally Iwaizumi when the lunch break started. « Not that you deserve it. » added handing the milk bread bag over to the brunette.

« Why is that ? » asked Oikawa looking at him disoriented. He let Iwaizumi laid the bag on his desk, but never reached for it.

« It’s good to know you had me waking up earlier to have breakfast together, and then completely forget about it. » commented Iwaizumi with an annoyed tone and his arms crossed at his chest.

« Sorry, I only had the worst night ever. Happy now ? » replied Oikawa as annoyed as he was.

The way Oikawa was acting towards him made his heart bleed. It was not like him to be so rude, not to him at least. He wasn’t used to be addressed and treated that way. His whole body was shook by the anticipation of the worst; his guts squeezed making him nauseous, his heart was pounding and a heavy weight was pressing on his chest.

« Of course, I’m not. » replied the boy trying to tone the whole thing down with a soft tone. « I was worried for you. »

Normally, he would have reached him, searching for a physical contact to comfort him, but this time something told him not to. He just felt as if he wasn’t entitled to it anymore. His hands clenched in fists. They were getting ever more apart as time went by. It was painful to see his worst fears come true.

« Well, I’m fine so you can stop worrying, Iwa-chan. » exclaimed the brunette irked, trying to shut him down.

It was clear that he wasn’t feeling like talking, but he didn’t have to hurt him like that. Iwaizumi looked at him refusing to believe that it was the reality. It couldn’t be; it was too horrible to be real. He could not accept it was really happening. He couldn’t even understand why it was happening, asking himself what did he do so wrong to make him so mad. He looked at their friends who could hear everything. They looked as concerned as he was.

« So … What happened ? » asked Iwaizumi looking at him concerned.

No answer followed his question. Oikawa wasn’t even looking at him anymore; he just rested his head on the desk and closed his eyes.

« Were you able to solve whatever it was ? » asked the boy completely uncomfortable. It was distressing. « I mean … If you need help, I’m here for y — »

« If only you would shut up, _that_ would be helpful for a start. » burst out Oikawa looking daggers at him. « So many questions. What are you ? A bloodhound ? If you really want to help, you could stop being a bother and leave me in peace. »

The words had been like a slap in his face. They stung hard and left him dismayed. His face was warped in horror; his eyes had widened, and his lips had parted in astonishment. The throat had started to burn, and he had to summon all of his strengths to repress the tears that already made his eyes shiny. He had instinctively stepped back, trying to grasp the air around him. The ground was trembling under his feet and in that moment he knew something broke inside him.

Oikawa got up, already regretful of the mean words he had spitted out. He hastened to apologize, but Iwaizumi had already stopped listening to him. The blow had been so nasty to stun him completely. He stared at him horrified, while his hands were all over him. He saw his lips moving, but they never reached him. It was as if he had suddenly been in a bubble and it protected Iwaizumi from him.

_Is this what he had always thought of me_ ? was the only thing he could think of in that moment. The room started to spin and got hotter as time went by. Oikawa was clinging to his shirt desperately, unable to stop apologizing for his meltdown. _It was all a lie_ , thought Iwaizumi repressing the tears, his guts were on fire as rage sprouted deep inside him.

« Iwa-chan, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it. I was just — » exclaimed Oikawa breathless.

« Get your hands off me. » said Iwaizumi coldly, taking his wrists in his hands and squeezed them, trying to get them off of his body. « You disgust me. »

« Iwa-chan … » cried out Oikawa now terrified, clinging to him even more ferociously.

« I stuck my nose in your business because I was worried ... I only wanted the best for you. » said Iwaizumi with such a cold tone, it could be as sharp as a knife. « Caring, worrying … It’s what friends are for. »

« I know. » hastened to say Oikawa, his eyes were shiny. « I … I’m the one who was way out of line. »

« It was really foolish of me to think I was your best friend. » stated Iwaizumi dismayed. « I can’t believe I was this arroga— »

« WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING ?! » burst out Oikawa incredulous. « You _are_ my best friend. »

« No, I’m not. » replied Iwaizumi composed. « I’m just a nobody … Your loyal hound, who follows you everywhere. » added fixing his gaze on the tips of his shoes.

« I won’t allow you to keep saying this nonsense. » whined Oikawa struggling to suppress the tears. « You’re the best friend I could ever wish for. »

« Okay then … Who’s your crush ? » asked the black-haired one, staring at him.

Oikawa flinched right on the spot; he stared at him for a while. Then, he looked away, his cheeks were flushing. The grip on Iwaizumi’s shirt abated slowly. The brunette was not even able to sustain his gaze. He simply avoided it altogether.

« You won’t say it, huh ? » commented Iwaizumi provocatively. « So, can you at least tell me what happened to you last night ? »

Oikawa’s eyes bounced straight right at him, looking him in the eyes. It was clear that he was uncomfortable; his hands were shaking, while they clung tightly on his shirt, his nervous gaze bounced from him to an indefinite point behind him. His lips parted and close a couple of time. He had tried to let the words out of his throat, but they never came out. Eventually, he gave up, closing his mouth and looking down, defeated.

« So much of being your best friend. » laughed Iwaizumi sarcastically, as he got rid of Oikawa’s grip on his shirt. « You can’t even look at me. »

Iwaizumi’s eyes lingered on the brunette for a little while, before turning around on his heels, clearing his desk and heading towards the door. He could feel wet warm tears streaming down on his face; he hastened to erase them with the sleeve of his shirt. Suddenly, all around him felt heavier. His throat was sore, and a flame was burning his guts. _What we had was all a lie_ , thought the boy letting it sink deep inside him.

Oikawa’s delicate smell wafted inside his nose, he breathed in deeply, letting his scent inebriate him one last time. _The perfume of my childhood_ , thought the black-haired one closing his eyes for a moment. It hurt. It hurt too damn much. Smelling his scent had been like a knife through his heart. Even hearing his voice hurt him. He tried to move forward, but he could not. Only in that moment, he noticed Oikawa’s arms around his waist. He couldn’t see him since he stood behind. The brunette’s warm breath died on his neck, making it shiver a little.

« Tōru … Let go. » whispered Iwaizumi with a trembling voice. « It’s over. »

« Like hell it’s over! » burst out Oikawa, refusing to let him go.

« I’m not one of your bitches, Oikawa! » yelled the black-haired one exasperated. « Oh, wait … I am, aren’t I ? But the thing that hurts me the most is knowing how little respect you have for them. » added with a sassy whisper in his ear, looking him in the eyes with a freezing gaze.

Iwaizumi didn’t mean to bring that up and he did certainly not want to use it to hurt him; it slipped out of his mouth. The memories of that night resurfaced as he spoke those words. He could still remember how good it felt plunging deep inside of him, with his delicate smell inebriating him as the finest of wines. He could remember his soft skin brushing against his’. He could still remember Oikawa’s soft voice growing deeper and hoarse, as he moaned louder with every deeper thrust of his. _I’ve already suffered enough for this_ , thought Iwaizumi shooing those memories away. He felt the hard cold wall colliding with his back. Oikawa had pushed him against it, clinging now to his shirt. He looked furious.

« How can you say this to me ? » whispered Oikawa upset; his voice was trembling, and his body shook as he started to cry in silence. « You have _no_ idea how important you are in my life. _None_. » whispered again in a cry, trying to keep it down.

« I’m completely left out. You don’t speak to me anymore. » explained the black haired boy avoiding eye contact. « Today was only a symptom … Our friendship died when we stopped relying on each other. » admitted the boy, heading towards the stairs.

Oikawa buried his face in his chest, his fingers were wrapped around the fabric of his shirt, still clinging to it in a little rebellion. He snuffled a little and raised his chin, peeking at him with a pout. He had not changed from the little boy he met years before; he was still the sweet unpredictable idiot he had grown to love with time. He was still throwing a tantrum when things didn’t go as he wanted them to. All was pushing him to hug the boy, but his arms refused to move, resting along his torso. His bleeding heart prevented him to forgive and forget so easily that time.

_I’m going to miss you_ , thought Iwaizumi breathing in deeply. His arms finally moved; his fingers curled gently around the brunette’s wrists, just to push Oikawa off of him. He didn’t flinch, nor did he looked at him. There was no hesitation in his movements. He walked away in the worst way; in silence, without looking back, not even once.

The lunch break had flown in the blink of an eye. He had tried to eat some of his lunch, but every bite tasted bitter and sourer than the one before. Even lessons appeared heavier and more boring than usual. Nevertheless, he didn’t miss a word of it. He focused even more, just to avoid turning his eyes on the brunette and regret his decision.

The signs of their fight were showing even during practice, were it was under everyone’s eyes that they couldn’t play in synch anymore. Oikawa’s tosses were unsteady, as for his spikes, they got ever more imprecise with his growing frustration. He had been on the verge out burst out his dissatisfaction when he heard a thud. He turned around and fear took over him in a second.

Oikawa had passed out and he was laying on the ground unconscious. He flew by his side, their fight long forgotten, to check if there was still a breath. He was breathing faintly, and his pulse was feeble. He took him in his arms and carried him in the infirmary in a heartbeat, without thinking twice about it. _Even in a fight, you’re still making a mess and I’m still the one to clean after you_ , thought the boy half amused and half vexed. _Sleep-deprived and half starved, can anyone by dumber than that_ ? thought Iwaizumi laying him on the bed.

The nurse had showed up right after, making him leave the room to let her work in peace and give the brunette some privacy. Privacy, just hearing the word make him laugh a little; with all they had shared in all those years, there was nothing left to hide from his eyes, not even his naked body. Not after what they had done.

After a while that felt longer that it really was, the door opened, and the nurse popped up. She seemed fairly relaxed and composed; she couldn’t bring bad news with that angelic face. She confirmed his doubts; the idiot had been dehydrated and had a glycemic drop. She said her farewell and headed towards the coach. He hadn’t even noticed him until that moment.

He quietly entered the room; it was very bright and clean. No one else was there other than those two. He slowly proceeded towards the bed, until he reached it and sat on a chair besides him. Oikawa was sleeping peacefully. He must have fell asleep from exhaustion. Finally, his facial muscles were relaxed, and his cheeks had regained color. The nurse had to install a phleboclysis which brought him fluids and electrolytes. He took a notebook out of his bag and started to read his notes.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a little chatter as the door opened. Some of his teammates had decided to come by and check on them. Matsukawa and Hanamaki were the first to show up, but after a little while Kunimi popped up, he was carrying Oikawa’s stuff, since the lockers were too far.

« So, how is he ? » asked Matsukawa sitting next to him on the ground. The other two did the same.

« The idiot is fine. » said quietly Iwaizumi without looking away from his notes. « Nothing that sleep and food can’t cure. »

The boys gave him an empathetic look; it seemed that the universe was having the time of his life mocking him like that. First it made them fight and then he forced him to take care of the brunette. There was no limit in how cruel life could be.

« So … Is the golden couple getting a divorce here ? » asked Kunimi with an arched brow.

The senpais looked at him as if he had opened Pandora’s box and chaos was about to be unleashed from hell. They nervously let their eyes bounce from the new member of the team to Iwaizumi, who stiffened on the spot. He, then, looked up and let his eyes linger on the youngling.

« Yeah. » admitted at last the black-haired one. « But, don’t worry, I won’t let this thing interfere with our club activities. »

« But you were really close … » pushed a little the quiet boy without fear.

« Nothing lasts forever, Kunimi. » replied Iwaizumi coldly, but still in a polite way, before turning his eyes on the notes. « You should copy today’s notes for him, though, or he’ll be in trouble. »

They looked at each other for a while, then got to work. Oikawa’s notebook were very clean and organized; his notes were accurate and easy to read. It really showed how much time and dedication he put in his studies.

« Kunimi, can you update his organizer ? He didn’t put the homework and tests in. » said Matsukawa handing the planner over.

Kunimi nodded lightly and started to copy the notes. They fell silent and the only sound was their breathes and the pens going back and forth on the paper. Every now and then, it was possible to hear Iwaizumi’s turning page.

« Wow, check this out. » said Hanamaki turning the notebook to them.

There was a page filled with drawings decorating the frame. There were two black feathers; one on the right top and the other was on the left bottom corner, framing his notes. They were stunned by his skills. He had made huge progresses in arts from the last time they had checked.

« My, my … Look at this. » said Kunimi with a smirk on his lips, showing the agenda to them.

On the day that signed July 1st, a Sunday, there was a note. It said “2pm, meet [drawing of a sun] @LOFT Café”.

« Oh my god! Is this what I think it is ? » asked Hanamaki excited, trying his best not to be loud.

« Give it to me! » barked in a whisper Matsukawa with his eyes shining. « Oh, it’s crypted. »

« So much more fun to decipher. » said Hanamaki with a grin on his face. « Considering Iwaizumi’s conclusions, his crush is someone outside Seijoh. »

They looked at the previous pages, but there was no other mention of the sun other than the previous evening. The last name written on those pages dated back to Yuki’s dates. It had to be recent since there were little mentions of that person.

« Hi ? » thought Iwaizumi out loud.

The word for “sun” in Japanese was “hi”, when written with the kanji 日. They stared at the planner trying to figure out what he could mean with that. It was clear he had tried to conceal his crush’s identity, but that sound didn’t ring a bell. Until both Iwaizumi and Kunimi looked up and stared at each other, as if they had come to a great intuition.

« Oh god, no. » said Kunimi, his eyes were bouncing from the planner to the feathers’ drawings.

« So, he caused all of this mess for nothing ? » hissed Iwaizumi annoyed. « I though he was back with Hachiro. _That_ would have been messed up. »

« Can you two stop speaking with telepathy and let us on board too ? » said quietly Hanamaki looking at them with his arms crossed at his chest.

« Yeah, that would be great. » added Matsukawa irked. « Is someone from Karasuno ? These feathers remind me of that club, but I don’t remember the names. »

« How did you even got there ? » asked Hanamaki annoyed.

« Dude, how did you not get it, when there are black feathers, and the only black jersey we know is Karasuno ? » replied Matsukawa who could not believe his ears.

« I just forgot about them ? » replied Hanamaki embarrassed.

« Oh my god, is that chibi who was at our last game ?» asked Matsukawa looking at them. « How can you be sure ? »

« Hi. » said Kunimi, pointing to the sun sketched in the planner. « His surname is _Hinata_. »

« But he’s a first year. Isn’t he too young ? I mean, considering his past … » argued Hanamaki upset. « I bet he’ll give up after a month without having sex. » laughed a little the boy.

« Maybe the thought of defiling the lad turns him on. » replied Matsukawa with a sorry face.

« Can you two behave ? Kunimi doesn’t need these details. » hissed Iwaizumi, forcing them to go back to their duties.

« I’m fine, Iwaizumi-kun. » said Kunimi with an embarrassed smile. « I already got used to it. »

For a while, no one dare to speak again. Their hands kept going back and forth, transcribing the notes from notebook to notebook, and from planner to planner. They let the new informations sink inside them.

He cautiously let his eyes linger on the brunette, who was still asleep. _Why did you think you could not tell me ? WHY_? thought Iwaizumi crushed. He could not understand the logic behind that decision. _Why would I have anything to object with Chibi-chan ? He looks like a positive person_ , thought again Iwaizumi, now feeling that flame sparkle deep inside of him. Rage. It was rage.

« Is it like a love triangle or something like that ? » asked Kunimi with a hand frozen in mid-air.

They all stopped to look at him as if he had said something crazy. They could not understand how he got to that conclusion. Why would it be like that ? Iwaizumi looked up and found three pairs of eyes staring at him.

_What would make him anxious_ ?

_Not being the best one out there_.

_Strong opponents_.

_Not having control_.

His own thoughts came back in a rush. He remembered now; he had made those kind of those the day before at lunch. Was he really that anxious because a possible contender ? Things were getting more absurd as time passed. _Who_? thought Iwaizumi, trying to recollect everything that happened that day. He could replay that day in his mind like it was a movie. He could recall Oikawa smashing the locker door, his aggressive playing, his competition with … _Kuroo_ ? thought Iwaizumi, widening his eyes suddenly. He remembered. The hug. Now everything made sense.

« You mean Kuroo ? » asked Iwaizumi to check.

« Who ? » asked Matsukawa showing his lack of skill in remembering names.

« Nekoma’s captain. » explained Kunimi, nodding to Iwaizumi.

« Oh, the tall black haired one ? » asked Hanamaki rhetorically. « Oh right, he was teasing him at the end. »

« I can’t believe this. » whispered Matsukawa trying to conceal his laughs. « This is getting funnier as we get to know things. »

« I don’t think it’s a good time to confront him. » admitted Hanamaki, looking nervously at Iwaizumi, who looked defeated.

Silence fell quickly as that sentence made them remember how things got that day. They returned to their notebooks, and let their hands imprint the characters on the paper. _I know_ , thought the black-haired one letting his eyes linger on Hanamaki, who gave him an empathetic gaze. _But how can I let this behind me_? asked Iwaizumi to himself. His eyes bounced on the brunette.

« Iwa-chan ? » whispered Oikawa, blinking as if he could not believe that his friend was there.

« Finally. » replied coldly Iwaizumi closing his books and putting it back into his bag.

« You’re here! » exclaimed Oikawa over the moon, getting up and sitting on the bed.

« The hound was keeping watch to its master. » replied the boy making it clear that he didn’t change his mind. « You’re skilled enough to boss your subjects around to attend to your needs. I’m out. » hissed Iwaizumi getting up and walking away without looking back.

_I can’t go back_ , thought Iwaizumi opening the door. _It hurts too much_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm ready to get your uproar!  
> I'm so sorry to break your hearts like that, but the story demanded it ... Things can't go always smoothly.  
> Will Iwaizumi be able to forgive Oikawa ? What will Oikawa do to make things right ?  
> They finally discovered who's Oikawa's crush, but they decided to keep it quiet.
> 
> What do you think ? Did you like it ? I hope it wasn't too bad!
> 
> Thank you so much for all the love and support you always give me. You're AMAZING. <3


	10. Dirty Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata's been discharged from the emergency room and thinks about the night he had. He can't control his thoughts and things get way hotter than he expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dear readers!  
> I'm finally able to post this chapter. I know I said I would publish sooner, but as I wrote it, I put a lot of new stuff and it became way longer than I expected.  
> So you'll have a lot more to read.  
> I hope you'll enjoy it and that this makes me earn forgiveness for breaking your hearts in the previous chapter.

Chibi-chan’s secret

Dirty Thoughts

— Chapter #9 —

Hinata Shōyō

He pushed the shirt over his head and let it fall over the rest of his clothes long forgotten on the ground. His feet broke the water’s calm flatness and dived in slowly, making it swing until the little waves shattered against the bathtub’s borders. The water was hot and steam already ruled in the bathroom, making his head feel lighter. The boy abandoned his nape on the border of the tub, exhaling slowly as he closed his eyes.

_Compared to yesterday, it doesn’t hurt so much anymore_ , thought the red-haired boy, feeling a slight flashing ailment on the front of his head. It still ached, but he found it bearable. He had Oikawa to thank; the brunette had acted promptly, making his poor mother drive them directly to the emergency room. The memories had started to come back. He had been very confused all morning, but things were finally clarifying by themselves.

« Could you drive faster, mom ? » had asked Oikawa half annoyed and half terrified that even a second of delay could be fatal, even though Hinata wasn’t even near to his death.

« Tōru, everything will be fine. » had said softly the woman, reassuring him.

The warmth of Mrs. Oikawa’s voice had cuddled him, even if he sat behind her seat resting his head into his hands and couldn’t see her tender look from the rear-view mirror. However, he could feel Oikawa’s hand caressing his back in a sweet attempt to ease his pain.

Once they had arrived at the hospital, they got separated, but he would never forget the worried look Oikawa gave him just before splitting up. “I won’t go anywhere, okay ?” had said the brunette, struggling to let go of his hand. The last thing he had seen before entering the emergency room was an exhausted Oikawa, who kept torturing his own hands and biting his lower lip.

_After … What happened after_ ? thought Hinata squeezing his eyes, trying to remember. He had ended up laying on a hard bed. A nurse had showed up, introducing herself and showering him with questions, as she let her hands on his body, checking his vitals, putting him under heart monitoring and stinging and placing a canula needle, putting him on fluids and painkillers. He hadn’t even noticed when she stung him, as his headache was even worse than getting punctured.

Eventually, those medication had started to kick in and his head finally felt lighter. His mother had popped up terrified to death; she had probably been called by Mrs. Oikawa, once they got there. She kept asking him how he felt and gently combing his hair with her fingers.

« I’m fine, mom, really. » had said the boy with a big smile, encouraging her to calm down.

« Worrying is mom’s duty. » had replied the woman with a sweet smile. « You got yourself a real Prince Charming there, you know ? », the smirk on her face had a sinister aura.

« What are you talking about ? » had asked the red-haired one looking confused.

« I’m talking about Tōru-kun. » had laughed a little the woman, caressing his forehead.

« He’s still here !? » had exclaimed Hinata astonished. « But it’s so late, he has school in a few hours. »

« He says he promised not to leave. » had explained the woman. « If you’re not too tired, I could let him in, and I’ll go save his poor mother, or he will drive her crazy. »

« I guess it would be cruel to leave him out there. » had said Hinata, trying to act casually about it.

The woman had given him a “I’m-not-buying-it” kind of look and disappeared behind the curtains. His heart had started to race in his chest, and he suddenly felt lighter, happier. _He stayed_ , thought Hinata almost relieved. He could not bear the possibility of leaving that place without seeing him even for one second. He remembered how desperately he had wished to smell his scent, to see his lips curl in a smile and thank him. His guts had felt weird, almost as if there were butterflies … _Oh no_ , had thought the boy panicking internally. _They’re beautiful creatures, but they have to die_ , had thought realizing what it meant. A gentle stroke on his cheek had brought him back to reality.

« Hey … » had said the brunette sitting on a stool right next to him. « How are you feeling ? Does it still hurt so much ? »

« I feel bet— » had tried to say the younger one.

« How can you be comfortable in this hard thing ? And they dare call this a pillow ? » kept mumbling the pretty boy, adjusting the blanket. « Don’t worry, I’ll go speak with so— »

« _Tōru_ …-kun, I’m fine. » had whispered the red-haired one, taking the brunette’s hand in his own and tangling their fingers together. His cheeks had flushed redder than fire.

_I guess keeping himself busy and bossing people around is his way to show affection_ , thought the boy playing with the hot water around him chuckling all by himself at the memory. _Affection … Maybe it’s all in my head, we’re not that close_ , thought Hinata suddenly sad. _I mean, the chances that he could like me are pretty much non-existent_ , thought the boy with his heart burning and heavy rocks piling up from his belly. The memories took over once again.

« Using that nickname now, so not fair Chibi-chan. » had complaint Oikawa with an arched brow, finally surrendering to reason.

« Well, I promised you to use it once in a while, didn’t I ? » had said Hinata softly with a shy smile.

« I thought you would have kept me hanging for that. » had joked the brunette with a smirk.

« Well, you came in my rescue like a knight in shining armor … » had started Hinata staring at him. « How could I ever deny you of your well-deserved prize ? »

« My, my … Chibi-chan is spoiling me now~ … » had giggled Oikawa with a cute smile. « I’ll get greedy if you keep treating me so nicely. »

« So, what does Ouji-sama1 desire ? » had jested the little crow, wondering what his prince would demand of him now.

« My services aren’t cheap, you know ? » had proclaimed the pretty boy with a smug attitude.

« As expected of Ouji-sama. » played around the red-haired one, keeping the joke alive. « So, what’s your prize ? »

« I don’t know it yet. » had admitted the brunette. « I’ll tell you when I’ll know. »

« As my Ouji-sama commands. » had joked Hinata, without even realizing he had called him _his_ prince.

His eyes had lingered on Oikawa’s figure for more time than he would have liked to admit. He was mesmerized by him. The brunette’s face was strained, his eyes were getting red and dark circles had started to show. Nonetheless, he was beautiful. There was something about Oikawa that drew him nearer as he spent more time with him.

« I’m glad that you’re okay. » had said the pretty boy with a low hoarse voice, resting his head on the youngling’s belly, looking him in the eyes in silence, never untangling their hands.

« Thank you … » had whispered Hinata, blushing under Oikawa’s persistent gaze. « For everything. I don’t know what I would have done, if you weren’t there. »

« No need to worry about it now. » had whispered Oikawa with a soft voice, before a yawn escaped his mouth. His eyes were shiny, but he had tried his best to conceal his tiredness. The brunette’s tangled fingers moved slowly, gently brushing his hand’s skin. His light strokes had cuddled him and made him drift in a deep sleep.

The red-haired one unconsciously brought his fingers on his lips, brushing them gently. He slowly opened his eyes, staring at the light steam that was rising up from the water mirror. Did Oikawa kiss him ? The question hammered hard on his heart. He could not be sure of it, but it had felt so real. _Too real_ , thought Hinata completely absorbed in his memories. _Did I just imagine it_? asked the little crow to himself. It was a possibility, but then, why did it sadden him so much ? _It was just a dream. There’s no way Oikawa would waste his time on me, he can aspire to better_ , thought Hinata trying to stick to reality. Those thoughts caused him a stabbing pain in his chest.

Why do I care so much ?

Since when do I wish Oikawa would kiss me ?

Why do I even want him to ?

_Because you like him_ , twitted a soft voice in his head.

« I don’t. » whispered Hinata closing his eyes, almost terrified. It could not be true. It couldn’t.

_I don’t, alright_ ? thought Hinata with his heart pounding in his chest. His fingers were still slowly and lightly brushing his lips. His guts twisted at the thought of their lips brushing against each other. Licking his soft lips and sucking them that night had felt so good. A fire sparkled deep inside him, demanding more. It would feel so good, he knew it.

Just remembering Oikawa’s lips on his skin sent shivers down his spine. At the time, he had told him to stop, but now he craved him with every inch of himself. He longed for his hands all over his body, his tongue licking his neck slowly, making him desperately gasping for the air, as he wished for more.

The memories awoke his desire, turning him on. He slowly opened his eyes and looked down; his hard-on was emerging from the hot water. _I shouldn’t_ , thought Hinata, trying to resist the urge of pleasing himself. It would make things worse. He wouldn’t be able to stop his feelings, but … _It would feel so good_ , thought the boy. He wrapped his fingers around his hard member and gently moved his hand up and down.

He remembered Oikawa’s lips sucking his neck viciously, desperately under everyone’s eyes. _It was so wrong. What if someone would see ?_ thought Hinata, pressing his fingers more. _Isn’t it what made it feel so good_ ? asked a little voice in his head.

_That night at his house … What if his mother came in and saw you moaning like that_ ? sang the soft voice.

He remembered. He remembered Oikawa’s licking his neck, up and down, slowly, driving him crazy. His breathed heavily, as his hand’s grip hardened on his erection, moving harder, faster. He closed his eyes and abandoned the nape on the bathtub’s border, completely surrendering to pleasure.

_More_ , thought the red-haired one feeling the tip of his hard shaft getting wet; little drops of precum were streaming down his hard length.

_No, not yet_ , thought the boy, slowing down. He didn’t want it to end that quickly. He breathed in slowly, jerking off gently, but the memory of Oikawa’s lips on his body popped up in his head again. He could feel his lips brushing his neck, kissing him lightly, licking it with his tongue up and down and desperately sucking it. A moan slid out of his lips.

_Ngh_ , moaned the boy pressing his fingers on his hard-on and biting his lower lip.

Oikawa had ravished him, licking his collarbone, his chest, sucking and biting it, slowly getting down with his pretty lips on his skin, but then he had stopped. The memory of being separated from his lips stabbed him in the guts.

He wanted his lips on him. He imagined the brunette letting his hand slide in his pants and his cute long fingers curl around his hard stick, and move slowly, making him whine for more. It wasn’t enough. He wanted Oikawa’s tongue licking him from the bottom to the tips and taking it all in his mouth, sucking more and more. Just the thought of it drove him insane. He felt hotter.

He groaned in pleasure, wondering how good Oikawa would taste.

He wished he could taste his skin; he wished he could kiss him, strip him off of his clothes and be in his strong arms and lick his neck. Oikawa’s moan rang in his head and made him even harder. He wondered how would it feel to make his hand slip in his underwear and hold him, making him moan as he pleased him.

Would Oikawa moan prettily ?

Or would sweat streamed down his body and make a mess of him ?

The image of Oikawa hot and sweaty, with his sweaty hair glued on his skin made him wet himself again; he could feel drops of seeds on his hand. The thought of being the one to make him moan felt even better. He wished he could lick and suck his hard member, slowly and hear him groan, making the brunette grab his hair, and make the little crow take it all in his mouth and suck him.

He thought he had heard something but paid no attention to it. He couldn’t stop. Not when he was so close.

The free hand flew on his mouth, trying to muffle his loud moans as he was reaching it. Oikawa’s moan haunted him, and it only made him groan more. He wanted him so badly. He needed it; he craved to watch his face lost in pleasure, he longed for make him moan. He imagined Oikawa’s desperately whispering his name as he moaned in pleasure.

_Shōyō_.

He came abruptly arching his back a little, desperately pressing the hand on his mouth harder to stifle the loud moan that slipped out of him. His other hand was covered in his warm seed. He took the hand away from his mouth and breathed in slowly, trying to regain some composure.

A small cough got his attention. Kageyama stood there, with a hand on the door’s handle. His face was pale, he looked as if he had seen a ghost. The boy opened his mouth and tried to explain his presence, but nothing came out.

« WHAT THE HELL ? » burst out Hinata on top of his lungs, blushing for the embarrassment.

« I knocked … »

« You should have knocked harder! » yelled Hinata, thankful that the curtain hid the most of it.

The thought that Kageyama had seen him completely lost in pleasure, with his eyes closed and his hand on his mouth to stifle the moans made him squirm for the shame. He grabbed the curtain and pulled it with all his might, covering the whole bathtub and him inside of it.

He grabbed the sponge and the soap and rubbed it vigorously, as if he could wash his sins away. His heart was still beating hard in his chest and his hands were shaking. It wasn’t the first time he pleasured himself, but it had never felt that amazing before.

_This can’t happen again_ , thought the red-haired boy rinsing himself, washing the soap away. He had gone too far and feared it was already too late to step back and forget about it. How could he ? Oikawa had been so good to him and was incredibly beautiful. Being around him felt refreshing.

He stepped out of the bathtub and wrapped the towel up around his hips. He put on his slip-on and opened the door. The fresh air outside the bathroom made him shiver. He closed the door behind him and turned around, just to notice Kageyama leaning on the wall with his arms crossed.

« You took your sweet time out of it. » mumbled the icy-eyed one with a frown on his face.

« What are you even doing up here ? » asked Hinata snorting before walking past him and getting in his room.

« Bathing could be dangerous for someone with a brain injury. » explained the setter, following him.

« It’s more dangerous to be around you. » laughed the red-haired one taking off the towel and rubbing it gently, drying himself off. He could feel Kageyama’s eyes staring at his back. « What ? There’s nothing you haven’t already seen. » added rolling his eyes, putting underwear and sweatpants on.

« You’re an idiot! » roared the blue-eyed boy glaring at him. « I wasn’t looking at you. »

« Huh-huh. » replied Hinata placing himself in front of the mirror and taking a lotion tube in his hands.

« I was looking at the bruises. » admitted the boy looking down.

He turned around and tried to have a look at the big bruise on his shoulder blade. He managed to put the cream on the top of it but struggle to cover the entire thing. He extended his arm the more he could but it wasn’t enough.

« Do you need a hand ? » asked Kageyama sarcastically.

« You can’t be trusted. » grumbled the red-haired one without even looking at him.

« Yes, I can! » barked the blue-eyed one trying to catch him.

« No, you can’t! » bit back Hinata, escaping his claws. « You almost killed me. »

« It was an accident! » replied Kageyama, denying the accusations.

« Stay away from me, Bakageyama! »

« God, you’re annoying! » burst out Kageyama, almost grabbing him. « Stop with the tantrum already and let me put the stupid cream. The others are waiting, you know ? »

« What ? You should have told me right awa— » tried to say Hinata before the setter’s hand pushed accidentally on the big bruise on the right of his forehead. His eyes immediately got teary. « That’s why I didn’t want you near me. » whined Hinata bringing a hand on his head, trying to stop the pain.

« You idiot! » barked Kageyama getting close and checking up on him. « I was trying to grab you. »

« Put the stupid cream on and then leave me alone. » whined the little crow, turning around, sulky.

As Kageyama was about to touch him, Hinata unconsciously closed his eyes, squeezing them in fear of the pain but it never came. Despite his lack of social skills, Kageyama’s touch was light and delicate and was almost pleasant.

« I’m really sorry for the injuries. » said softly the boy out of the blue.

« You already said it yesterday, you know ? » replied Hinata, trying to make a step in his direction.

« I know, but you sounded really weird, and today they told me you’ve been at the ER. » explained Kageyama finishing to rub the cream on his bruise.

The memory of Oikawa starting to lick and suck his neck almost turned him on again. _Of course, I sounded weird, that idiot was …_ , thought Hinata freezing to think about it. What was he doing ? It was the first time he stopped to really analyze what happened.

_You didn’t seem that interested in me earlier, Chibi-chan_ , had whined Oikawa like a primadonna girl.

_Why did you do that ?_ had asked him to Oikawa as soon as they got out of the café.

_Who knows ? Maybe it’s because I like you … Or perhaps, I’m just messing around_ , had said Oikawa teasing him.

There was no way to tell. Every moment of weakness or lack of concentration was an opportunity for him to tease him. How could he know ? In his heart, he wished he did it out of jealousy, but Oikawa could not like someone like him. He convinced himself even more as he took a look on the mirror and saw his slender body and his childish face, finding them completely unattractive. _He would never like me_ , decreed the boy looking down feeling all hopes abandon him. A stabbing pain woke him up.

« Are you insane ? That hurt a lot! » complained Hinata putting some distance between them.

« You’re the one who was spacing out, making me talk to no one! » barked back Kageyama crossing his arms at his chest.

« Whatever. » said Hinata wearing his t-shirt. « You didn’t need to hurt me again. » whined the boy sulky.

« Well, I was trying to avoid having to look at you jerking off aga— » the boy couldn’t finish the sentence, as Hinata grabbed him and pushed him against the wall.

« So help me God, Kageyama … » hissed the red-haired one glaring at him. « If this ever comes out of your mouth, I’ll never hit any of your tosses ever again. »

The blue-eyed boy turned pale and stared at him terrified, before gulping a little. _That would be too embarrassing to explain_ , thought Hinata imagining facing his teammates and enduring their laughs and their jokes. _No one can know about Oikawa_ , thought the boy terrified. They would never approve of him, especially Kageyama, and he could not choose between his long-desired teammates and his crush. _Oh god, I can’t believe it_ , thought Hinata blushing at the realization. He let go of the boy.

« I assume you’re smart enough to make the right decision. » hissed the little crow with a glare.

« It’s not like I’d go blabbing about it. » said the setter rolling his eyes. « They would take me for a perv. »

« Good boy. » laughed Hinata patting his head with a smirk.

« Boke! Hinata BOKE. » burst out Kageyama fighting back.

« It will be our little secret. » whispered the red-haired one staring at him with a grin on his lips.

The black-haired boy froze on the spot and looked at him almost shocked. Hinata swore he had glimpsed some pinky shades on the setter’s cheeks. Was he embarrassed ? Why would he ? He was just joking.

« I’m just messing around, you know ? » said the little crow walking past and leaving the room, with the setter following him. « Your social skills sucks, Bakageyama, you should do something about it. »

« Why do you care ? » snorted the boy behind him.

« Because that’s what friends do, idiot! » replied Hinata with a big smile on his lips.

« Stop calling me “idiot”! » complained Kageyama vexed of that bickering.

« Do you prefer “prat” ? » joked the little sunshine ray.

« No! » burst the setter behind him.

« His Highness is so demanding! » sang Hinata climbing down the stairs.

« How many times do I have to tell you to not call me that ? » hissed Kageyama abruptly serious.

« I’m sorry, you’re right, His Highness is too classy. Doesn’t fit you. » said Hinata on the last step of the stairs. « His Royal Pratness … So much better! » added proudly of his genius with a laugh, heading to the living room.

« Ah, the sweet sound of their bickering is singing. » laughed someone from the living room.

« It was about time you two! » burst Tanaka staring at them as they got in. « I was sprouting roots here. »

« Come on Tanaka, Hinata’s injured … » said Sugawara getting up and getting close to his underclass mate. « How are you feeling ? » asked the pretty boy with a sweet smile, combing his hair away from his face.

« It doesn’t hurt so badly as yesterday. » said Hinata with a big smile.

« What’s with the black eye? You look like a panda bear! » teased Tsukishima, getting hit by Yamaguchi’s elbow on his side. “It’s not nice” had whispered the boy.

« It’s his fault! » whined Hinata clinging to Sugawara’s shirt and pointing at the culprit, Kageyama.

« My poor kohai. » cried Tanaka hugging him and checking that he was okay. « You know that you can count on your senpai, right ? » added with a smug face.

« Tanaka and Noya had brought you tons of ice cream, you know ? » explained Sugawara with a tender look and a big smile. « Daichi, Asahi and Ennoshita sent you onigiri and mochi. »

Hinata froze on the spot. His eyes were already tearing up from joy. It was the first time he had real teammates. He wasn’t used to be taken care about by others, he wasn’t used to be able to rely on other people. He always had to do all by himself, counting only on his strengths. _Being on this team is the best_ , thought Hinata with his heart pounding in his chest.

« You’re the best senpais ever! » cried Hinata too happy to restrain himself. « Thank you! » added with a bow in gratitude.

« Come on! You should rest, you don’t have to thank us. » said Sugawara sitting on the couch with Hinata. Kageyama sat on the other one with Tsukishima and Yamaguchi.

« Yeah! It’s our sacred duty to take care of our kohais. » added Tanaka extremely proud.

He got showered with tons of questions. Was he already ? How was he feeling ? Did it hurt ? How could he resume playing ? Was the emergency room scary ? Hinata answered to all of them, reassuring his teammates that he wouldn’t be stopped by a mere door blow. In fact, he would come back to practice soon. Sugawara was worried about it, he thought it was too soon to resume playing, but he knew how much did it mean to Hinata. Especially with the qualification matches ahead of them. A little vibration in his pocket demanded his attention.

**Whatsapp**.

 **Oikawa Tōru** : “How are you feeling today ?”

Reading _his_ name on the display made his heart racing and a shy smile rose on his lips. He didn’t even notice he was already blushing a little. Thanks for him, his teammates were too busy bickering among themselves, with Tsukishima joking about Hinata’s new panda-style and Tanaka defending his kohai, while Yamaguchi and Kageyama tried to stay out of it.

**Whatsapp**.

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “I’m feeling much better! Did you get to rest a little ?”

 **Oikawa Tōru** : “Not really …”

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “Can I call you after dinner ? My teammates are here …”

 **Oikawa Tōru** : “I’d love to …”

_Oikawa Tōry is typing …_

**Hinata Shōyō** : “Great! Later! 😊” … _Seen_.

« Hey Hinata, are you alright ? » asked Tanaka out of the blue.

Hinata put the phone back in the pocket and stared at him confused. Of course, he was feeling alright. In fact, he was feeling great. More than great. He couldn’t wait to call him and hear his voice. Somehow, Oikawa sounded weird. _Is he alright_ ? thought Hinata worried. _Maybe he’s just tired_.

« Sure, why wouldn’t I ? » replied the youngling with a smile.

« What have you done to my precious kohai ? » whined Tanaka glaring at Kageyama.

« It was an accident! » exclaimed Kageyama with a worried face.

« Come on you two! Stop bickering! » burst out Sugawara glaring at the entire group.

_Sugamama is angry_ , thought Hinata hiding a little. It was not wise to get in Sugawara’s way when he was so fired up. The group fell silent at once, murmuring “it was your fault” with a low voice. Sugawara needed just a death glare to make them stop for good. He sent them home since they were getting too excited about the visit.

« Finally, some peace and quiet! » said Sugawara letting himself fall on the couch and rest his nape on the border behind him.

« Would you like some more tea ? » asked Hinata politely.

« I would love that. » replied the pretty boy with a tender look.

He found Sugawara’s presence reassuring. It had always been like that since the beginning. Maybe it was because the boy was sweet and helpful, or maybe because he believed in him, when no one did. He remembered the first days of high-school; Kageyama refused to toss the ball to him, since he wasn’t a necessary member for the team. The statement had broken his heart, but it was Sugawara who helped him pick up the pieces and spent all of his free time to help him with the receives. He poured the tea in the cup and sat next to him.

« So, how about you telling me about your interesting condition ? » asked the pretty boy with a smirk, taking a sip at his tea with a classy manner.

« Well, it was a big blow, but there won’t be permanent damages. » explained Hinata putting the kettle down on the table. « So, I can come back in no time, you’ll see! » added with a smile.

« I was talking about your other condition. » specified Sugawara moving his cup a little, making the liquid spin in circles.

« What condition ? » played dumb Hinata, avoiding eye-contact at all costs.

« Your spacing-out, blushing, smiling at the phone screen like an idiot … » listed the silver-haired one. « You’re having a c— »

« Please, don’t put that evil on me, Suga-senpai ... » whined Hinata flushing as red as cherries, shortening his name, and calling him senpai for the first time ever. « The “c” word is forbidden. »

« Oh, is that so ? » smirked the boy, lingering on the younger one delighted. « You’re in denial. »

« I’m not! » hastened to deny the red-haired one, squirming for the embarrassment.

« Huh-huh. »

« Well, it’s just a caterpillar! » explained Hinata not even sure about what he was blabbing about and Sugawara gave him a “I’m-not-buying-it” kind of look. « Well, maybe the caterpillar turned into butterflies, but … »

« What ? » asked Sugawara, who was having the time of his life teasing him like that.

« The butterflies are going to die, eventually … » answered Hinata extremely uneasy. « Soon … Today! »

« Hinata, I’m not asking you because I want you to abort it. » explained Sugawara with his usual consideration. « I just want you to know that you’re not alone and can rely on me, if you’ll need it. »

« Why ? You senpais have already so much to do. » asked Hinata with his complete innocence.

« Maybe I’m arrogant to want you to rely on me, but … » started the silver-haired boy looking sad for a little while. « You’re an important member of the team, and even if we’ve met recently, I’ve started to care for you. So, I don’t want anything bad happening to you. » finished with his cheeks flushing.

_You’re an important member of the team_.

_I’ve started to care for you_.

_I don’t want anything bad happening to you_.

Was it joy what he was feeling ? He couldn’t say, but the words have warmed his heart and made him feel lighter. No one ever said anything so nice to him. It was the first time someone was taking him so seriously. The awareness stung a little. It was sad to remember all the times people looked down on him and told him to just give up, since there was no chance he could make it.

« I don’t deserve you. » mumbled Hinata with shiny eyes and hugging his upper-class mate’s arm.

« So, who’s your crush ? » asked Sugawara trying to take him by surprise.

« Please, don’t make me say it, Suga-senpai. » whined the youngling clinging to his sleeve and looking at him with his lethal puppy eyes. « And I don’t think there’s something to worry about … »

« Why is that ? » asked the silver-haired one looking at him all serious.

« Because there’s no way that person could like me … Too out of my reach. » admitted Hinata looking away with sadness in his eyes.

« What are you talking about ? You’re cute and you’re a splendid person, who wouldn’t like you ? » asked Sugawara astonished by the statement. He couldn’t believe he really didn’t see his beauty.

« Do you really mean it ? » asked the red-haired one blushing a little, with a child’s innocence.

« Of course, I do! » laughed Sugawara looking at him tenderly, messing his hair a little. « Is your crush a good person ? »

« I guess so … He’s the one who took me at the hospital and stayed until I was discharged. » explained Hinata, trying not to unveil too much.

« So, it’s a he! » giggled the ashen-haired one with a sweet smile of victory on his lips.

« Damn! » mumbled Hinata biting his lower lip.

« I won’t force you to talk about it, but can you promise me one thing ? » asked Sugawara stroking gently his head.

« I’ll do anything! » hastened to say the little crow.

« Promise me you’ll come to me if you’ll need it. Just this. » said softly the sweet boy with a shy smile.

« I promise. » said Hinata serious. « Is it that obvious ? » asked the youngling after a while.

« To me ? Yes … As for the others, I think you’ll be fine. » replied Sugawara with a little laugh.

_I really don’t deserve him_ , thought Hinata waving his bye to the boy, who was heading home. He closed the door behind his back and slowly got in his room. Once inside, he let himself fall on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

_You’re cute_ , had said the ashen-haired boy.

_Damn, Suga-senpai, you shouldn’t say those things to me, or I’ll believe them_ , thought Hinata turning to his side. How could he kill the butterflies now ? Now that he had found a new hope. It was just a dim light at the end of a long dark path, but it was better than no light at all. He pulled his phone out and dialed the number, without even thinking about it twice. He was sure he would have been too afraid then.

« What about the after dinner condition ? » teased a soft voice on the other side of the telephone’s line.

« You sounded weird. » explained Hinata trying to sound casual.

« You’re making excuses. You just couldn’t wait to hear me. » laughed Oikawa almost sounding like his usual self.

« I’m not making excuses. » replied the red-haired one with a pout on his face.

« You missed me, just admit it! » teased Oikawa, he could hear him giggle a little.

« Do you want me to hang up ? » threatened Hinata trying to get to the point.

« You’re so unfair, Chibi-chan. » snorted Oikawa in a complaint. « You know how much I like teasing you. »

« How about you tell me what’s going on ? » said Hinata cutting to the chase.

« Can’t you let this one go ? » proposed Oikawa trying to avoid the matter once again.

« Nope. Go on, spill it. » demanded the red-haired one urging him to answer to his question.

_Why is he avoiding it ? Did something happen_ ? thought Hinata worried. He just couldn’t let go. The fact that he couldn’t look at him and check for himself was killing him. _If only I could be there_ , thought again waiting for Oikawa to speak.

_So much for killing the butterflies, huh_ … thought sarcastically, as awareness struck. He wouldn’t be able to go back. In his heart, he had always known it, but he had tried to fool himself into thinking he could just forget about it. Now he was certain; he could not forget him. There was no way he could forget Oikawa.

* * *

1) Ouji-sama means "Prince" in japanese.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! Hinata's finally facing his feelings for Oikawa and there's no way he can go back now after what he did.  
> How things will develop ? They have a math tutoring on a sunday and they promised to hang out after ... Will one of them make a move ?  
> Will Oikawa be able to makeup with Iwa-chan and let him on board ?  
> How will Iwa-chan do after that huge fight ?
> 
> I hope you're liking the story so far. I know that we're just beginning to look at the juicy stuff, but bear with me, things are really going to get interesting :D <3


	11. Announcement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just an announcement.

Dear readers,

I'm so very sorry to write this announcement, but I have to.

I'm currently hospitalized due to pre-existent health patologies that have worsened lately. I'm not sure when I'll be discharged. I'm very sorry for keeping you waiting for the chapter, but I'm in no condition to write now.

I'll do everything I can to recover quickly.

I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for the encouragement and for the support you always show me in the reviews. You're the best readers I could ever hope to have.

Thank you. 💖

Lily


	12. A Tuesday from hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa realizes how much damaged he has done and how bad things are, but Hinata tries to cheer him up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my beautiful readers!  
> I've been at the hospital for all this time, but now I'm back home. I'm so very sorry I made you wait for so long, I truly am.  
> I tried my best to write a decent chapter, but I'm not going to lie, I'm not fully satisfied with it. i had to split it, since it would be insanely long and painful, so I gave you one with some sweet in it!  
> I hope you can forgive me!
> 
> As someone has suggested me, I found a beta-reader; shoyoboke has volounteered to help me with the chapters. She's an incredible writer and I recommend you to read her stories, they are amazing!
> 
> Anyway, here's the chapter. I hope you'll enjoy it!
> 
> Thank you so much for your kind words and, most of all, for your patience. You are truly the most beautiful readers one could have! <3

Chibi-chan’s secret

A Tuesday from hell

— Chapter #10 —

Oikawa Tōru

Tuesday

_What is this? A Tuesday from hell_? thought the chocolate-haired boy still in utter distraught. The sound of Iwaizumi’s steps echoed loudly in his head and his eyes were fixed on the door, where he last saw his figure, before it vanished. He thought it was all a bad dream, a nightmare, but the pain from the drip-feed was too real to be one of his mind’s pranks.

He couldn’t see anything but the white door; everything else had disappeared. It was as if he’d been sucked into a bubble, and nothing else could reach him anymore; not his friends’ voices, nor the nurse approaching him. His whole world was crumbling in front of his eyes, and the white door stood there, planted solidly on the ground, in all of its glory, mocking him in silence. He didn’t want to live in a world without Iwa-chan. His guts clenched, making a volley of nausea pass through his chest, choking him once it reached his throat. _How did we end up like this_? thought Oikawa wrapping his fingers around the bed sheets and squeezing them viciously.

_When did this all start_? asked the brunette to himself, mastered by a torturous agitation. He travelled through his mind, trying to find the exact moment when things got out of control, but nothing stood particularly out. _Who am I fooling_? the pretty boy laughed at himself internally. He knew there was no external cause. He was the only one to blame and he knew it. His grip on the bed sheets got even firmer. _I ruin everything I touch_ , thought Oikawa nauseous. _I suck_.

The room started to spin, making him sick. Memories flashed before him, stabbing and leaving him to bleed. He remembered all the times he insisted on having things in his own way, all the times he stood Iwaizumi up, or the times he didn’t rush to get to their meetings on time, because he knew Iwaizumi wouldn’t make a huge fuss over it. He remembered all the times his friend dropped everything just to rush to his side when he was in need, all the times he stayed and listened to his rants. He had always taken him for granted, thinking that no matter what he did, Iwaizumi would never leave him. Now he could see things clearly, and he knew he never deserved him in the first place.

_It was my fault_.

_It was all my fault_.

_I, I lost_ …

_Iwa-chan. I lost Iwa-chan_.

_How? How could I be so blind? I proudly proclaimed myself his best friend, but I was the worst_.

_Why didn’t Iwa-chan complain_?

_Why did he accept the shit I pulled_?

It was all beyond his comprehension. He tried to make some sense out of it, but more questions popped up in his mind. The more he thought about his behavior, the more he felt ashamed of himself. How could he face Iwaizumi after treating him like trash? He wouldn’t have the courage to look at him in the eyes. He couldn’t stop the tears anymore; they pushed hard and streamed down his face.

A gentle stroke on his head roused him from his thoughts. His hands flew to his face, erasing the tears before raising his head. The room had emptied out; only Matsukawa stood in front of him. The boy’s eyes were scrutinizing him in a worried gaze. The brunette looked away; it was bad enough that they heard their fight, letting them see him in that pathetic state would have been too much. He looked around, but there wasn’t anyone beside them. Where did the others two go ? How long had it been ? He could not tell.

« Mattsun … W-where’s everyone? » asked the pretty boy confused.

« I sent them away. » calmly replied the black haired one, sitting on the bed right by his side. « I figured you would hate the idea of being seen in this pitiful state. »

Oikawa laid his eyes on the boy for a brief moment; it had been just a quick glance, but it had been enough to catch sight of a tender look. Despite the intimidating appearance, Matsukawa was easy-going and caring. Nothing could escape his eyes, not even the tiniest detail and that time he had been right again. Matsukawa’s soft voice made him feel safe. It felt as if he was free. Tears started to push viciously to break free and rolled down his face once again.

« T-Thanks. » said Oikawa in a whisper, fixing his gaze on the white bed sheets.

Nothing came in response. He was about to raise his head to check up on him, thinking he spoke too quietly and wasn’t heard, but felt Matsukawa’s light touch on his nape, dragging him to himself, and making him rest his head on the hollow of his neck. He felt Matsukawa’s fingers gently stroking his head and under that light touch, he melted down. He couldn’t restrain himself anymore; tears poured copiously down his face and he started to sob. His throat was sore and it burnt like never before, a heavy rock was crushing his chest, impeding him to breathe.

Matsukawa said nothing; he just held him tightly in his arms and brushed his hair with his fingers. His touch was light and gentle, and it cuddled him, quelling his torment, and giving him warmth and peace. Oikawa snuffled a little but couldn’t bring himself to part from his safe shelter just yet. He just stood there still; his eyes were closed and his forehead rested on his friend’s shoulder. He breathed in deeply; the smell of white musk wafted inside his nostrils. It wasn’t Iwa-chan’ smell. He would never wear such delicate scent.

« Why are you even crying ? » asked Matsukawa once the setter broke the hug off.

« I fucked up. » admitted the brunette without even looking at him.

« Yeah, pretty much. » exclaimed the middle blocker with a flat tone, as if it weren’t a news at all.

« Weren’t you supposed to tell me that I didn’t and everything will be okay ? » whined Oikawa putting up a pout. « So mean, Mattsun! »

« I don’t sugarcoat things, you know that. » replied the black-haired one carelessly. « I’m not Iwaizumi. »

« Clearly. » muttered the pretty boy with a furrowed brow, fixing his hair casually.

The black-haired one hurled him a frightful glare, reminding him not to cross the line; he wasn’t as indulgent as their ace. He may have been less tolerant, but he greatly cared about him and kept stroking his back gently, trying to calm him down.

« So, it’s all over, huh ? » thought out loud the brunette, resting his elbows on his knees and laying his face in his palms. « Well, I deserve it. It was all my fault. »

« You really are dumb. » teased the black-haired one with a bored tone, looking at him with an arched brow.

« Wha— » tried to say Oikawa outraged.

« Do you really think Iwaizumi doesn’t care about you anymore ? He made us copy the notes for you because he was worried about your grades. » explained Matsukawa getting up and gathering his stuff. « You better come out with a hell of an apology. So, get your shit together and stop whining. » ordered the boy with his arms crossed at his chest.

« You’re so harsh, Mattsun. » grumbled Oikawa finally noticing that the drip-feed was gone. It must have been while he was in that trance.

« Someone has to, otherwise you’d hide in bed and wouldn’t do anything but crying. » exclaimed the black-haired one helping him getting dressed. « So lame. »

A shy smile rose on Oikawa’s lips; despite being so direct, Matsukawa had his own way to show that he cared about him. It was a low-key constant kind of caring; it was never explicit, but the boy was always there to support him and helping him pick up the pieces. A light blow brought him back to reality.

« What are you smiling for ? » asked Matsukawa knowing exactly what was on Oikawa’s mind. « I’m only doing this because your split-up would be a nuisance. »

« Mattsun just loves me so much ~ » teased Oikawa finally fully dressed and ready to leave.

« I’m already sick of this. » blurted the black-haired boy heading towards the school’s exit.

They got out of the infirmary and walked slowly all the way through the hall. Matsukawa peeked at him a few times, checking that he still followed. _Under that intimidating appearance, you’re so soft Mattsun_ , thought Oikawa satisfied.

« Here. » said the middle blocker once they got out of the school, handing over a chocolate bar.

Oikawa took it and started to eat in silence. His fight with Iwaizumi had cancelled every trace of hunger, but now that he found a little encouragement, it came back. One bite had been enough to put the engine back on and cramps started to pop up in his tummy. His guts grumbled, demanding fuel.

« Someone’s looking better. » teased Matsukawa with a bright smile.

« It’s my favorite! » exclaimed Oikawa clinging to the boy. « You’re so good, Mattsun. »

« Iwaizumi’s ability to deal with you is beyond me. » murmured the black-haired one rolling his eyes. « I’m already burning out. »

« Not funny, Mattsun. » mumbled the brunette glaring at the friend.

« So, what’s going on with you ? » asked Matsukawa once they reached the setter’s house. His eyes were filled with doubts and worries.

« If I were to tell you now, it wouldn’t be fair to Iwa-chan, would it? » exclaimed Oikawa uneasy, shifting the weight from one leg to the other. « Let’s just bring Iwa-chan back first, okay? » added with a forced smile.

« Then, hurry. » barked the black-haired one. « Babysitting you is a lot of work. »

« You should be happy to spend more time with me, Mattsun! » hissed the pretty boy annoyed.

« Come on, be a good boy and go eat dinner. » teased Matsukawa with a smirk. « You don’t look so good, Captain … If you keep this awful look, you’ll lose your fangirls too. » laughed the boy heading forward.

Oikawa glared at him with a terrifying look and hissed some clever remarks to the friend. However, as soon as he turned around, loneliness struck him again; an unsettling feeling conquered him inch after inch and by the time he got inside the house, his eyes were glassy and his chest tightened.

« Tadaima1. » announced faintly the boy, dragging his body upstairs, without listening to his mother’s concerns.

The boy pushed the door lightly and entered his bedroom. He gently closed the door behind his back and sighed. His eyes observed the room and everything remembered him about Iwaizumi. He could recall all the time he had been there; as kids they used to play with stuffed animals and mini toy cars, as they grew up, they started to play videogames together and watch movies about aliens and dinosaurs. His eyes lingered on the bed, the place where only one time they subdued themselves to their rawest instincts and almost lost each other for it. His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched; it all had a sour taste now.

He fished his phone out from the pocket and stared at the screen for a while before opening the chat and typing his text. Then, he walked to his bed and fell on in, laying on his belly and sinking his face in the pillow. The blood in his temporal veins started to pulse ever more. He had so many thoughts in his mind that he couldn’t follow them. _What should I do now_? the pretty boy asked to himself by then completely broken. A light sound from his phone roused him from his worries.

**Whatsapp**.

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “I’m feeling much better! Did you get to rest a little?”

 **Oikawa Tōru** : “Not really …”

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “Can I call you after dinner? My teammates are here …”

 **Oikawa Tōru** : “I’d love to …”

 _Oikawa Tōry is typing_ …

 **Hinata Shōyō** : “Great! Later! 😊” … Seen.

_Fuck_ , thought instinctively the brunette staring at the text he never made in time to send. It said “I would really love to, but today is no good”; he erased it, since there was no point in sending it anymore. It wasn’t like he didn’t feel to open up to people, but he didn’t have the time to process what happened yet and it felt overwhelming.

_Well, I’m fine now so you can stop worrying, Iwa-chan_.

_If only you would shut up, that would be helpful for a start_.

_What are you_? _A bloodhound_?

_If you really want to help, you could stop being a bother and leave me in peace_.

The mean words he said to Iwaizumi started to echo in his head and haunt him over and over again. It made him nauseous. He couldn’t understand how he could be so mean and horrible to him, to the only person who always stood for him and never left his side.

_Do you really think Iwaizumi doesn’t care about you anymore_?

_He made us copy the notes for you because he was worried about your grades_.

Matsukawa’s words popped up in his mind. Suddenly, his chest tightened even more, making him feel as if he were choking. His eyes were already wet. _I know_ , thought Oikawa feeling anger sprout in his belly like a spark and spread, covering every inch of his body. _And that’s why it hurts even more_ , thought the brunette as tears rolled down his face. _I don’t deserve him, do I Usagi-chan_? thought the boy turning to the side and taking the stuffed bunny in his hands, before sinking his face in it to stifle the sobs.

It hadn’t even been a day yet, but he already felt nostalgic. All the things they used to do and now they couldn’t do anymore, they all came to light. Having milk bread before classes, walking together to school, teasing Iwaizumi and getting light blows in return, having lunch together, running to club activities and walking back home tired but satisfied poking fun at each other … It all seemed far away. Only now he was able to see how much it all meant for him. He wished he had cherished those moments more, but it was already too late for that.

It all came down to one simple problem: how could he get his friend back ? After hurting him so deeply, nothing appeared good enough. He started to even doubt it could be really fixed. How could they go back to normal ? There weren’t just enough words to make up for that, and even if there were, would that change anything ? They were just words; they couldn’t undo the damage and the pain he had caused to his friend. _If I were Iwa-chan, I would never forgive me_ , thought Oikawa rubbing his eyes with the sleeve of his sweatshirt, erasing the tears that were streaming down his face.

_I’m so pathetic_ , thought the pretty boy, his face twisted in a pout. He felt helpless as the weight of the situation pushed on his shoulders and crushed him, but what annoyed him the most was his inability to take the matter in his own hands and fix it. _I’m a goo_ — His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his phone. He fished it out of his pocket and took a look at the screen. It was Hinata. He jumped a little, sitting on the bed and staring at the screen as if he had seen a ghost.

_Why is he calling now ? I thought he would call after dinner_ , thought Oikawa surprised. He wasn’t prepared for that. His hands shook a little, and after breathing in deeply, he picked up.

« What about the after dinner condition ? » teased softly Oikawa trying to act as usual.

« You sounded weird. » explained Hinata trying to sound casual.

« You’re making excuses. You just couldn’t wait to hear me. » laughed Oikawa almost sounding like his usual self.

« I’m not making excuses. » barked the red-haired irked. Oikawa could visualize the boy’s face turn into a pout. He smirked a little.

« You missed me, just admit it! » teased Oikawa, giggling a little. The possibility of Hinata missing him made his chest loosen up a bit.

« Do you want me to hang up ? » threatened Hinata trying to get to the point.

« You’re so unfair, Chibi-chan. » snorted Oikawa in a complaint. « You know how much I like teasing you. »

« How about you tell me what’s going on ? » said Hinata cutting to the chase.

« Can’t you let this one go ? » proposed Oikawa trying to avoid the matter once again.

« Nope. Go on, spill it. » demanded the red-haired one urging him to answer to his question.

« I … I — » tried to say the brunette, losing his composure. « I had a fight with Iwa-chan. » let out weakly Oikawa, staring at Usagi-chan, the stuffed bunny Iwaizumi gave him when they were little.

« Iwa-chan ? » asked Hinata perplexed. « Oh, you mean Iwaizumi-kun ? » asked again the red-haired one.

« Yeah … » sighed the pretty boy, falling on his back again. « Wait, how do you even remember his name ? » asked Oikawa curious.

« He’s scary. » admitted the younger one on the other side of the line.

« Yeah, he can be pretty intimidating. » laughed the brunette with a little bittersweet smile before silence fell.

« So … What happened ? » pressed the red-haired one hesitant.

« It was my fault … I don’t know, I was tired … I snapped and said horrible things. » spitted out Oikawa as quickly as he could, almost as if he didn’t want the boy to hear it. « But I may have been pushing him away for quite some time now. »

« Why ? » asked Hinata without even hesitating a little.

« Why ? That’s a good question. » blurted the brunette with a pout. « Why on Earth would I do that ? Guess I’m an idiot. »

« After all, Oi _baka_ is your nickname. » laughed Hinata, teasing him.

« You little punk, I swear … » burst out Oikawa offended and shocked, his mouth wide open in disgust.

« What ? » laughed again Hinata, sounding as if he was having the time of his life. « Let me guess, you’ll punish me ? Again ? »

« You can be sure of that! » hissed Oikawa still outraged.

« I forgot how sensitive Daiō-sama was. » commented Hinata still giggling a little.

« You’re so mean, Chibi-chan! » whined the pretty boy, hugging Usagi-chan.

« If I told you something nice, you’d fool yourself and get all conceited. » admitted the red-haired one carelessly.

« So, you like something about me! » teased the brunette with a smirk on his face.

« See ? I was right. » replied the youngling, on the defense. « You’re already getting a big head. »

« Huh-huh. » let out the pretty boy satisfied.

He didn’t even notice a bright sincere smile had risen on his lips. From the moment Hinata popped up with that call, his heart had found peace. Even if the situation hadn’t changed a bit, the shortie’s voice soothed him and warmed his chest, letting all the negativity leave his body. He could visualize his big amber eyes and his bright smile and just that was enough to give him the strength he needed to pull himself together.

It wasn’t the only thing that popped in his mind though; Hinata’s rosy lips were all over his head. He couldn’t forget how soft and warm they were. His fingers instinctively flew on his own lips and brushed them gently. He remembered the night he brought Hinata to his place. He had teased him just for fun, demanding an innocent kiss on the cheek, but got kissed on his lips instead. Or more precisely, they got licked and sucked. The boy was a constant surprise and that was the thing that got him hooked in the first place.

However, that night wasn’t the only time their lips met. No, there was another time. Oikawa’s cheeks flushed for the embarrassment; the memory of what he had done was still too fresh to linger on it. _What if he knows ?_ thought the brunette panicking on the inside. _What if he doesn’t like me and won’t speak to me anymore ?_

« Are you still there ? » asked the little tangerine embarrassed from the other side of the telephone line.

« Y-Yes! » hastened to say Oikawa once he emerged from his own thoughts.

_Speaking to him feels so good_ , thought the brunette as a blush crept up on his cheeks. Silence fell slowly, but it strangely wasn’t embarrassing. He could hear Hinata’s steady breath and it felt calming. The boy was usually loud and bubbly, but at times he fell silent that it was surprising. _But he’s here_ , the thought struck Oikawa, leaving him astonished. _Whether I blurt things out, or I keep quiet, he waits, he stays_ , thought the brunette as his heart started to race.

« Sorry, I — » started the brunette unsure. « I was lost in thoughts. » admitted biting his lower lip right after.

« You don’t have to apologize. » said Hinata calmly. « Besides, I should be the one apologizing … »

« Why ? » asked the brunette surprised.

« Well, if I didn’t hold you at the hospital, none of it would have happened. » explained Hinata with a sorrowful tone. « I’m really sorry that I caused you troubles. »

« How could you even think a thing like that ? » burst out Oikawa, getting up and starting to wander around his bedroom upset. « I don’t want to hear anything like that again, do you hear me ? »

« But— » tried to say the red-haired one.

« No ‘buts’, Shō-chan. » said the brunette unmovable.

He waited for a word of consensus from Hinata before sitting on his bed again.

« It wouldn’t have made a difference. » explained Oikawa calmly. « It was just a matter of time before things would go downhill. »

« So … What are you going to do ? » asked Hinata with a low voice, unsure if he could dare that much.

« I should apologize, but nothing I’ll say can fix things. » started the brunette torturing the string of his sweatpants. « Besides, maybe he’s better off without me. »

« Sounds more like punishment for him. » admitted Hinata shyly. « I mean, I don’t know what happened, but does he even deserve to lose a friend on top of that ? It just seems cruel to me. » continued the boy sounding hesitant.

Hit and sunk. He was running away, again. Oikawa bit his lower lip nervously, as he let those words sink deep inside of him. It hurt because he knew Hinata was right. His eyes flew on the floor from the shame.

« But even if I apologize, words can’t make up for that. » let out Oikawa defeated.

« You’re right. » said Hinata fiercely « Words can’t fix things, _you_ can. »

« But how ? » asked the pretty boy feeling hopeless.

« Well, do better. » replied the red-haired boy as if it were obvious. « Just prove him that you can be a better friend. That’s the only way your words will mean something. »

« How is it that you’re so wise, Chibi-chan ? » asked the brunette surprised.

« I don’t think I’m that wise. » admitted the younger on the other side of the telephone line. « It’s just how I would handle things If I were in your place. »

« It seems I’ll need a hell of an apology … » let out Oikawa, sighing a little afterwards. « Since you’re so good with these things— »

« I’m not telling you what to say, Oikawa-san. » hastened to say Hinata, anticipating the pretty boy.

« Just a little! » twitted the pretty boy desperate. « And it’s Tōru. »

« Nope. »

« You will just let me drown like this ? » whined Oikawa with a pout on his face. « You’re so mean, Chibi-chan~! »

He heard the red-haired boy sigh. He couldn’t help but find it cute. He wished Hinata was there; he wanted to smell his sweet scent, he wanted to hold him in his arms and see him blush for the embarrassment. Since that night, the night they met at the train station, Hinata was always on his mind. He couldn’t help himself but constantly think about him, wondering what he liked, what he didn’t like, how would it feel to be the one by his side. He even imagined how his life would be with him a few times, and it was good. It was really good.

« Alright … » gave in the younger boy defeated. « I’ll just give you something that will help, okay ? »

« Fair enough! » exclaimed Oikawa excited.

Just knowing that Hinata gave in to his pleads was enough to fire him up.

« Just take your time and think about things. » started Hinata calmly. « If you don’t know what you did wrong, or what Iwaizumi’s angry about, how is apologizing even going to help you ? You only get to apologize once … »

« Right … » said Oikawa feeling the weight of the situation crushing him.

He messed up. He really messed up but apologizing or doing things better weren’t the things that scared him. Facing the truth and understand why he acted that way was what really frightened him. The truth was he didn’t want to know, nor apologize. Not because he didn’t feel sorry, but because he knew Iwaizumi would forgive him eventually, and it was exactly why he couldn’t forgive himself. He didn’t deserve him, nor his forgiveness.

« I’ll work on that. » added the pretty boy at last.

« So, how are you going to repay me ? » teased Hinata giggling a little.

« Excuse me ? » exclaimed Oikawa completely caught off guard.

« I’m the injured one and yet I’m the one calling you and cheering you up. » whined the red-haired one, teasing him. « I want my reward! »

_This is getting interesting_ , thought the brunette as a smirk arose on his lips. Just hearing Hinata demanding some special attentions had been enough to fully get him back on a good mood. _If only he were here …_ , started to think Oikawa while the smirk grew even bigger. Suddenly, all the kind of teasing his twisted brain could come up with popped up in his mind; smart remarks, embarrassing him with some sexual approach, getting near to kiss him just to back off at the last second, leaving him craving for more. He couldn’t wait to see him that Sunday. … _There would be some real fun_.

« Is Chibi-chan wishing for special attentions from me~ ? » asked Oikawa delighted in his nasty teasing voice.

« Weren’t you all down and depressed ? » bit back Hinata, trying to sound bold.

« Not if my Chibi-chan’s asking for my full and prompt attention~! » replied the brunette amused.

Hinata was already regretting teasing him, Oikawa could hear his voice turn higher and unsure. The brunette found him extremely cute when he got all embarrassed. He always got the impulse to hug him and hold him in his arms.

« I’m not! » squeaked the younger boy with a high pitch.

« You’re just too shy to ask, aren’t you ? » teased Oikawa giggling to himself.

« Forget it! » grumbled Hinata trying to run away from the situation.

« Come ooon! » urged the pretty boy now extremely curious about what he wished. « Tell me! »

Hinata fell silent; his breath was steady, but Oikawa could picture him with his cheeks on fire and his eyes darting from one place to another, avoiding eye-contact with him. He couldn’t understand why he seemed so worked up in the first place.

« Shō-chan ? » asked Oikawa, trying to take him back to reality. « You there ? »

« Y-yeah. » mumbled the red-haired one clearly emerging from his thoughts.

« So ? » asked the pretty boy impatient.

« So what ? » tried to play dumb the younger one.

« Your reward, tell me. » specified Oikawa, not giving him any chance to get away with it.

« I was joking, you don’t need to reward me Oikawa-san … » admitted Hinata slowly, his voice was trembling a little.

« So we’re back to Oikawa-san now ? » asked the pretty boy disappointed, he wasn’t liking it one bit. « What about calling me by my pretty name ? »

« Cut it! It’s embarrassing! » hissed Hinata vexed by the teasing.

« It wouldn’t be, if you’d get used to it! » suggested the brunette holding the phone between his cheek and his shoulder, while he crossed his arms at his chest ever more frustrated. « Come on, tell me. You’ve been really helpful today, so If I can do something for you, I’ll do it. » added Oikawa, trying to make a step in his direction.

« W-well, you remember you asked me to hang out, right ? » asked Hinata in a roundabout way.

_This is torture_ , thought Oikawa, his foot started tapping on the ground for the impatience. It was making him wish Hinata was more upfront, like the many girls of his fan club. This was taking years of his life. _The bastard’s making me sweat for it_ , thought Oikawa knowing Hinata was turning around the matter, never to reach the point.

« I remember it perfectly, Chibi-chan~. » confirmed Oikawa straight away. « I’m glad _you_ remember. »

« Right, well … Dyawanttomakeplansorsomething? » asked Hinata, getting it out of his lips as fast as he could.

« Pardon ? » asked Oikawa confused.

« Nevermind, forget it … » said the red-haired one sounding sad.

« Forget what ? I didn’t even hear it! » protested the brunette exasperated. « _Hinata_ ? » encouraged Oikawa right after.

He hadn’t been able to say his name, again. It was just too hard for him. His eyes closed at once, as those thoughts made his heart heavy and his throat suddenly was sore. _Not now_ , thought Oikawa opening his eyes and focusing on Hinata’s steady breath.

« Would you like to do something in particular ? You mentioned the movies. » said Hinata slowly, but the embarrassment was crystal clear. « We could go, if you want to … »

« Are you serious ? » said Oikawa over the moon. « Absolutely! »

His heart had started to race and somehow all the negativity that was crushing him just a few moments before had disappeared. Everything seemed lighter, brighter … happier. _He_ was happy. _Is there maybe a real chance he actually likes me ?_ thought Oikawa seeing hope.

« Are you sure ? » asked the red-haired one nervously.

« Of course, I am. » replied Oikawa not able to hold back a genuine smile.

« Well then — » tried to say Hinata before something interrupted him.

He heard a loud sound, as if something smashed.

« Oniichan! »

« Sorry, it’s my sister! » explained Hinata embarrassed.

He could hear the little girl complain and Hinata biting back. Their bickering was really sweet. He could hear Hinata say something like “you should knock” and getting a “I did” in response. He stifled a laugh, trying to catch the rest.

« Well ? Why are you here ? » asked the boy with irritation in his voice.

« Dinner’s ready. » explained the little girl shortly.

« Stop pushing me! » complained Hinata troubled. « Is this the way to treat sick people ? »

« Sick people don’t smile! » said the little girl all serious.

« I wasn’t smiling! » denied Hinata taking it seriously.

« Yes, you did! » bit back the little girl. « Oh, who are you talking to ? »

« No one! »

« Is it Karin ? »

« Go wash your hands. »

_And who the hell is this Karin ?_ thought Oikawa as his blood started to boil in his veins and his guts twisted in a sudden rush of jealousy. Why was that little girl asking of that Karin anyway ? Hinata had told him it was over with that ex girlfriend of his. _Is she his ex ?_ thought Oikawa, who couldn’t stop the train of thoughts that came right after. The curiosity was consuming him.

« Is it Kuroo-nii-san ? I want to say hello! » exclaimed the little girl with a bubbly vibe.

« Natsu, stop it! It’s not Kuroo. » hissed Hinata viciously.

_Kuroo-nii-san, she’s already calling him nii-san_ , thought Oikawa letting himself fall on his back onto his bed. That fact alone had been enough to destroy all the happiness he was feeling just a few moments before. It felt like someone stabbed him right in his heart and left him to bleed.

« It’s T-Tōru-kun, and you’re making him hear your tantrums. » said Hinata vexed.

_Oh, now he’s back calling me by my name. How convenient!_ thought Oikawa half amused and half pissed. The fact that Hinata seemed embarrassed by the mere mentioning of Kuroo gave him plenty of reasons to obsess even more about it. _Chibi-chan, do you think calling me by my name will be enough to earn my forgiveness ? You’re so mistaken_ , thought Oikawa all sassy.

« Oh it’s the prince! » exclaimed Natsu on the other side of the line. « I wanna say hello! »

« If I let you, you’ll go washing your hands right after ? » asked Hinata sounding dead serious.

« Okay! » mumbled the girl.

« I’m so sorry, someone’s determined tonight. » explained Hinata, finally deigning him of his attention.

« Don’t worry! » brushed off Oikawa with his nasty egomaniac voice.

« Ouji-sama! » exclaimed the little girl over the moon.

_Is it a Hinata family’s thing to call me Prince or something ?_ thought Oikawa amused. Although, hearing it from Hinata, that night at the hospital, felt way better. He couldn’t get it out of his head; that night had been perfect. He had genuine fun tutoring him, seeing him focused and determined made his heart melt and treating him to dinner and getting to see his excited side had been a real treat. Even thought they ended up in hospital, it had been good; Hinata had opened up to him a little and he had never felt so happy in his entire life. Just being able to be there and hold his hand or hug him made his heart race.

« Natsu, my little princess! Hello! How are you doing ? Giving your brother some troubles ? » asked Oikawa all bubbly.

« Ouji-sama, do you have a girlfriend ? » asked boldly the little girl without a single moment of hesitation.

« What ? No! » replied Oikawa surprised and utterly confused at the same time.

« Do you have a boyfriend ? » asked again the little girl without shame.

« Uhh no. » said Oikawa, biting his tongue. He would have liked to say yes, he would have loved to call Hinata his boyfriend, but they weren’t together. In fact, they were nothing and the mere thought destroyed him.

« So you can marry me! » exclaimed the little girl enthusiastic.

« WHAT THE HECK ?! » yelled Hinata shocked.

« You can’t marry him Onii-chan, you’re not beautiful enough for Ouji-sama. » said the girl as if it were completely obvious. « I’m done, I’m going to wash my hands~! »

« Huh … Not beautiful enough. » blabbed Hinata clearly speaking to himself in shock. « Is she saying that I’m ugly ? » continued as panicked got his way in his mind.

« Chibi-chan— » tried to say Oikawa unsuccessfully.

« I’m ugly. » stated Hinata once again in total panic.

« What are you talking about ?! It’s not true! » grumbled Oikawa alarmed by that statement.

« It’s okay, it doesn’t matter … » said Hinata depressed. « Sorry, dinner’s ready, I have to go now … »

« Wait! » exclaimed Oikawa before he could hang up. « Thank you for the call. »

« I’m sure that everything will be fine, you’ll see. » said Hinata trying to sound cheerful.

« I’ll call you tomorrow, okay ? » offered Oikawa thinking that this would put a stop to that nonsense.

« Oh you don’t have to … » mumbled the red-haired one uneasy.

« But I want to! » affirmed the brunette worked up by how Hinata kept sounding.

« Okay then … » reluctantly accepted the youngling completely overwhelmed.

« And eat your dinner, you need to recover! » said Oikawa before saying their byes.

_He can’t be serious, right ?_ thought Oikawa taking the matter seriously. It never occurred to him that Hinata could be so insecure about himself. The speed which he had accepted those words with just confirmed it to him. He was so ready to believe that they were true that it was shocking. Hinata couldn’t see his own beauty and that saddened him deeply.

Oikawa could not believe it. He liked everything about Hinata; his hair as red as fire and as untamed as the wind, his big amber eyes that always sparkled from excitement, his sweet smile, his pale soft skin, his delicate smell, his slender but toned figure, his little waist, his ass … _That ass gave me a hard-on, how is he forgetting about that ?_ thought Oikawa panicking.

_Maybe he thinks you were dreaming about someone else_ , twitted a little voice in his head.

He grabbed the phone back and started to dial a number by heart. He was almost done when he stopped halfway and sat down on the edge of the bed, erasing it all. Habit made him search instinctively for Iwaizumi, but he couldn’t do it anymore. _There you go Tōru, hope you’re happy now that you fucked everything up_ , thought the brunette resting his elbows on his knees and laying his face on his palms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that was it!  
> It was meant to have some other stuff in it, but I reached the 12 pages in word and thought it would be too long for adding other stuff. So I ended up splitting it.
> 
> Oikawa took the fight really badly, but Matsukawa has been the MVP of the Seijoh and Hinata called him to cheer him up.
> 
> What do you think ? Did you like it ?  
> Oikawa is going to take Hinata to the movies ... Things are progressing <3 ... But Kuroo's shadow is always there, reminding him that he can't lower his guard.
> 
> I don't know how quickly I'll publish the next chapter. I'm still really bad, even if I got discharged from the hospital, and it's really hard for me to spend a long time on the computer. I'll try my best to be quick, but I don't want to make promises I can't keep. T.T


End file.
